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UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. 



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ADVICE 



CHEISTIAIS; 



RELIGIOUS JOURNAL 



BY JAMES SMITH, ESQ, 



NEW-YORK: 

PRINTED BY WILLIAM OSBORN, 

88 William-street. 








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Entered according to the act of Congress in the year of 1844, by James Smith, 
Esq., in the Clerk's office of the District Court of the Southern District of 
New-York. 



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PREFACE. 



It is presumed that the regenerate child of grace 
will not be offended at any thing contained in the 
following pages. To such persons only they are 
dedicated. He who expects to get to heaven by 
serving God and Mammon, will, on the contrary, 
find much to conflict with his habits and affections ; 
he will be offended. The author does not pretend 
to have brought forth any thing new ; his great 
object is to animate the disciple of Christ to more 
systematic exertion in the strait and narrow road. 
The work is thought to be adapted to Orthodox 
Christians of all denominations. All who rely on 
the atonement for salvation, may safely peruse it. 
Although many of the rules here recommended 
may be found in other books, yet it is not believed 
that they have been brought together with so 
much order in any other treatise. 

The reader will observe that in the Religious 
Journal which is here submitted, the same subject 



IV PREFACE. 

is sometimes repeatedly brought under consider- 
ation. This is because the same sin was repeat- 
edly committed, and the author found that by 
writing upon it in conjunction with his prayers, 
he made a deeper and more permanent impression 
on his mind, and was thereby enabled to take a 
firmer stand against the evil complained of. 

It is believed that the imperfections of cha- 
racter which are here disclosed, will shield the 
author from the imputation of vanity in publishing 
this Journal to the world. It will, undoubtedly, 
be thought by some, that the journalist had better 
have kept these matters to himself — but when it 
is considered that they were already known to the 
searcher of hearts, to whom we should principally 
look for grace and favor, the disclosure in ques- 
tion will not be deemed so material. 



ADVICE TO CHRISTIANS. 



TriE repentant sinner is justified by grace. His sins are 
pardoned ; but it remains to purify the heart. This is the 
work of the Christian during his whole life. To this end he 
is to watch and pray and strive. Leaving the principles of the jjg^ 5 
doctrine of Christ, let us go on to perfection, not laying again 
the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith 
towards God ; and we desire that every one of you do show 
the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end ; 
that ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through H- 
faith and patience inherit the promises. In the first place, the ^ 
industrious, the thrifty Christian, like the prudent merchant, 
is advised to take an account of his stock ; to ascertain fairly, 
candidly, and honestly the state and condition of his heart; 
and for this purpose he must study Mason on Self-Knowledge, 
one of the most important books ever written. From this 
work and by prayer, and by a fair examination of his own 
heart and affections, he will be able to make out a catalogue 
of the principal and most important defects of his Christian 
character, (presuming that he can write). He must now pro- 
cure a small blank book suitable for his pocket, and in it he 
must write down (beginning with his most besetting sins) the 
dark list to which I have alluded. This will occasion no dis- 
closures ; they are already known to God, the Great Judge 
before whose tribunal be is ultimately to appear, and unto 
whom alone (and not unto men) he should now look for ap- 
probation and support. 1 once saw an appalling catalogue of 
this description. It was as follows ; 

1 



Pride, Envy, Jealousy, Vanity, Self-Conceit. 

Slander, Backbiting, Prejudice, Uncharitableness. 

Anger, Resentment, Hatred, Malice. 

Want of Fortitude, Ashamed of Christ. 

Untruth, Insincerity. 

Desire for Wealth, Honor, and Fashionable Life. 

Selfishness. 

Wasting of Time, Wandering Thoughts. 

Coldness, Lukewarmness, Despondency. 

A Want of Chastity. 

Talking too much. 

Impatience, Discontentedness, Capricious Humors, Hasty 
Opinions. 

Hasty Actions, a Perturbed State of the Mind. 

A want of Punctuality, Indiscreet Expenditures of Money. 

Loose Keeping of Accounts, Contracting of Debts impro- 
perly. 

Eating too much, Indiscreet Regimen. 

Many defects of Christian character are here enumerated. 
It would hardly seem possible that a child of grace could be 
so imperfect. But one evidence in his favor is, that he should 
have ascertained and admitted before God the corruption of 
his heart to this extent. The impenitent man takes no note 
of his sins. God is not in all his thoughts. It is indeed a 
great work which the regenerated child of God has to per- 
form. Should he live many years, it will require his whole 
life, yes, every day and every moment of that life, to conform 
himself to the example of his Saviour Christ ; but let him take 
courage, for God is with him. The Holy Spirit has taken up 
his residence in his heart, and will work in him to will and to 
do of his own good pleasure. Supreme love to God should 
be the earnest and leading desire of his heart. And now it is 
necessary for him to form another table of Christian qualifi- 
cations which he will in like manner write down in his book. 
It will be made up as follows : 

1. Supreme Love to God and universal benevolence to 
men. 

2. Humility, Lowliness of Mind, Meekness. 



3. Pureness of Heart, Truth, Justice, Sincerity, Simplicity, 
Innocency. 

4. Charity. 

5. Long Suffering, Patience, Forbearance, Submission. 

6. Fortitude, Firmness, Punctuality. 

7. Chastity. 

8. Composure of Spirit, Contentedness. 
0. Peace, Harmony, Joy, Cheerfulness. 

10. Hope. 

13. Hospitality, Courtesy. 

14. Devotion, Diligence. 

15. Unaspiring and Unambitious as to worldly honors and 
distinctions. 

16. Unobtrusive. 

The great and constant duty of the disciple of Christ will 
be, day by day, to look over and to pray over these tables. It 
is not presumed that the defects of character above enume- 
rated, will be found adapted to every case. Each individual 
should ascertain what is applicable to himself; and it will be 
a great consolation to the industrious Christian, as he travels 
on in the strait and narrow road, to find his imperfections gra- 
dually diminishing — his evil affections changing their character. 
Where selfishness was predominant and roused unholy pas- 
sions in his breast, the divine spirit of benevolence now 
soothes the troubled mind. Take courage and fear not, little 
flock, for it is your Father's good will to give you the kingdom. 
But the Christian must work systematically, he must set about 
eradicating in detail the evil affections of his heart. Pride may Pride. 
be a besetting sin, the right hand whereby he is offended — let 
him now pluck it off and cast it from him — let him determine 
to occupy himself principally in prayer to God to subdue his 
proud heart. And although he must strive and pray against 
all the impurities of his nature, yet in an especial manner let 
him fall down before the throne of grace, and in the name of 
Jesus ask for lowliness of mind, for an humble and contrite 
spirit ; and while he thus prays and strives, let him write down 
in his book the operations of his mind on this particular sub- 
ject. He will find this exercise profitable to his soul. I copy 



8 

from the entries of one, whose proud heart was unusually 
obstinate, the following article : 

My pride relates to my talents, to the estimation in which 
I am held in the world. I am exceedipgly jealous on this 
subject, my feelings are often mortified. Now this is a defect 
of Christian character against which I ought to strive and 
pray. This passion of admiration is deeply rooted in the con- 
stitution of my mind. As long as I can recollect anything, 
these feelings are discoverable : it is probable that my prospe- 
rity is owing to them. They are not to be eradicated, but their 
nature is to be changed : the same energies are to be turned 
into other channels. I am still to imp?:ove and advance all the 
faculties and energies of character that have been given me 
for all useful purposes, and especially to the end of truth and 
justice, to the advancement of virtue and the religion of the 
gospel. But I must cease to regard the estimation of men as 
of any importance, unless so far as I may gather instruction 
from it, and as it may serve to regulate and correct my course 
of justice and humanity. In regard to jthe worth of worldly 
importance, it is entirely fallacious ! It is certainly injurious 
in most cases, it requires additional watchfulness, and is there- 
fore dangerous to the soul. To a person fond of admiration, all 
temptations are exceedingly dangerous. Such an one should 
avoid every situation which may lead to false pride or conse- 
quence. To have influence, and to be elected to an office 
which one's merits have not spontaneously called for, and which 
is not held with the sole object of doing good, is decidedly 
wrong. 

Let my only desire be to serve God and man in the most 
useful manner without any selfish motive. 

In looking back upon my past life I see many errors, but 
all that I ought to regret, or to be mortified at, is the actual 
commission of sin. I am not, however, sensible of this sor- 
row to a sufficient extent, but I am extremely jealous lest I 
should not be held in much estimation by men. There is 
something wrong in my heart in this respect, and it is an old 
desease, it is deeply rooted. Who i^hall deliver me from this 
body of sin and death ! 



O that God would enable me to purge my heart of this sin. 
I do knock at the door, Lord God open to me. I feel that 1 
am a great sinner in this respect. O that God, for Christ's 
sake, would heal my infirmities ! 

that I could at last submit 

At Jesus' feet to lay it down, 
To lay my soul at Jesus' feet ! 

The following positions are true : 

1st. That this state of the affections is wrong in the sight 
of God. 

2d. It is productive of unhappiness to me. 

3d. It impedes my progress in the divine life. 

4th. I ought to be contented with myself as I have been 
created by ray Maker. He knew what was best for me, and has 
given me the faculties that are most for my eternal happiness. 
It is my duty to improve them. 

5th. I must be satisfied with the lot which divine wisdom 
has apportioned to me ; and if I have been denied any thing, let 
me consider that it is the hand of God. 

6th. Let me hereafter only be anxious to improve and to 
grow in grace. 

7th. When I think I have not had as much respect or de- 
ference shown to me as I merit, let me reflect and say, this is 
the providence of God, it is he that is moulding and fashioning 
my heart, and for that purpose disposes the minds of my fel- 
lows towards me. Certainly I do not merit even as much as 
I receive. It is God's hand, let me not repine at it. 

O thou great and eternal God ! give all my talents, my 
energies, and my affections a holy and righteous direction, that 
they may be useful according to thy holy will, and that they 
may not hereafter serve any unholy purposes or minister to 
any unlawful desires. 

When I am accused of having done wrong, and have incur- 
red the displeasure of my friends or neighbors, let me at once 
refer the matter to God ; and if my conscience condemns me, 
let me repent towards God, and seek the forgiveness of my 
fellows, by acknowledging my errors and making amends. If, 



10 

on the contrary, God approves of what I have done, let me 
cease to be troubled, but demean myself with gentleness and 
humanity towards them. 

It is better to go to the house of mourning than to the 
house of feasting. This I have fully verified ; I am too apt in 
prosperity to lose my just ballast, and to wander in the unpro- 
fitable atmosphere of the world. 

Oh ! Heavenly Father, enable me to resist these tempta- 
tions, and to turn all my temporal vexations and afflictions to 
my spiritual advantage. 

Wealth, and reputation for great talents, are both injurious 
to the soul : they call for more watchfulness. They feed our 
pride and vanity ; they lead us into temptation, and are there- 
fore deprecated by our Lord's prayer. 

No one ought to doubt this ; and since the soul is of infi- 
nitely more consequence than the body, what is calculated to 
injure it should be avoided as the most deadly poison. 

All the little mortifications of this life, with its disappoint- 
ments and vexations, (when properly treated,) are highly be- 
ficial in a spiritual point of view. 

Every observation of another calculated to vex me, and 
every disrespect for my opinion or talents, and every act which 
wounds my feelings, should be turned to my everlasting 
benefit. 

I have felt that my professional pride, or the estimation in 
which I have held my talents, has been my besetting sin. It 
is, in Scripture language, my right hand which has offended 
me, and shall I not cut it off" and cast it from me 1 The sin 
does not consist in the possession of those talents whatever 
they may be, but in the pride of opinion which I have enter- 
tained. It is not required that I should stultify myself, but that 
I should be stripped of ail self-importance. 

I pray God, for Christ's sake, to give me wisdom to ac- 
complish this desirable object, so that I may become as unas- 
piring, and unambitious as a little child. 

God condems me for this pride, and I feel desirous of 
purging my heart and affections from it. 

I shall be fed and clothed. I need feel no anxiety on the 



n 

subject of professional reputation. Let me be any thing good, 
but desire nothing. 

Let me consider that both my happiness here and hereaf- 
ter depend on my successful efforts in this blessed work. 

Let me withdraw myself from all competition and strife, 
and recollect that the kingdom of Christ, of which I desire to 
be a subject, is not of this world. 

Doctor Mason failed in his efforts to put forth a great ser- 
mon, and was wonderfully mortified. He however imputed it 
:to the hand of God sent for the purpose of wounding his cursed 
pride, as he expressed himself 

It is necessary for me to avoid every description of flat- 
tery, and not to suffer myself to be too much in the company 
of inferiors, as the pride of superiority will else be rising up. 
Every species of commendation, and especially in cases where 
I may have deserved praise, is dangerous to me. It is better 
for me, in a religious point of view, to be in the society of men 
who will wound my pride, or to contemplate men who outrank 
me in wealth and talents, and who are disposed to show their 
superiority over me. 

I have reason to bless God, and I will bless him, that such 
means have much contributed to my little stock of humility. Let 
me improve this virtue with as much frugality as a miser saves 
his pence. 

Humility in the sight of God is a most sublime virtue. 

I am nought but filth and sin. In twenty years probably I 
may be mouldering in the dust. I am mere dust and ashes, 
and so are all men living ; their self-consequence, or even the 
importance that the world gives them, is all idle and fallacious. 
I have indeed nothing but what I have received from the hand of 
God ; and how ungrateful to him to be proud, or to covet the re- 
spectful attention of men, when I am forbidden by God so to do. 
O that God would give me the spirit of self-abasement ! Hum- 
ble thyself («ays the word) and thou shalt be exalted. 

It is a great injury to be flattered, or to be highly com- 
mended of men : a poor weak mortal is sure to forget him- 



12 

self, and to imagine that he is of some importance. The ^an, 
whose vanity is thus flattered, is deservedly an object of pity. 
All defects are good to make us humble. 

A desire to be thought of consequence is very injurious 
to the happiness of men in this world : it makes them suspi- 
cious and envious : it keeps the mind ever on the alert, and 
thus it is that vice punishes itself. God visits this spirit of 
pride with a just punishment. " Shun the observation and ap- 
plause of men, looking only unto him who seeth every thought 
of our hearts, and every secret motive of our action. The 
meek man, having no ambition, no spirit of competition, he 
feels no pain from disappointment, no mortification from de- 
feat. Having a very humble opinion of himself, he sees others 
succeed without uneasiness, without envy : by bending under 
the storms that assail him, he greatly mitigates their violence. 
Content and satisfied with his lot, he passes quietly and silently 
through the crowds that surround him. Humility is but 
speaking truth, and all pride is a lie/' 
Envy. Envy, the sister of Pride, is a foul affection which continu- 
ally punishes itself; it is nourished and supported by Pride ; 
when the latter is subdued, its sister attendant disappears. 
While the Christian is engiaged with his proud heart, he will 
find his envious affections constantly rising up. He should 
also write down in his book the operations of his mind in this 
respect. I copy for his instruction (the observations of a fel- 
low traveller to eternity) the following article : 

I must not envy, 1st, because God forbids it, and therefore, 
if I love God, I must obey his commandments. 

2d. It is productive of evil in its consequences. 

3d. Because it does not advance our desires for preferment. 
It rather retards them. 

4th. It renders me extremely unhappy, and punishes itself 
on the spot. 

5th. We are rendered thereby unworthy of both God and 
man. We are unworthy of God, because we commit sin in 
his sight, and we are unworthy of man, because we are guilty 
of an unmanly passion and low, degrading offence. 



13 

We ar6 sinning against man, beicaiase we are desirous of 
reducing him to oiir own level. 

God has placed it in our power by industry to become what- 
ever our talents entitle us to be. 

Shall we be indolent and then envy the industrious 1 Shall 
we neglect to improve what God has given us, and then do our 
fellow men a wrong because of our neglect and sloth 1 This 
is indeed a character that God must condemn and man abhor. 

The Christian must wish well to all mankind ; he must not 
envy or detract from any ; he must be truly humble and meek 
and gentle. An envious man cannot be humble, and emula- 
tion is for the most part a species of rivalry or contention, and 
is in general a desire to excel for Pride's sake, and is there- 
fore to be condemned. 

Wilberforce has this idea, that a mart should endeavor to 
become eminent in real worth and virtue, such as will con- 
strain his fellow men to admire and approve of his attain- 
ments, and prefer him to another. But if he desire this for 
the sake of pride, it is sinful. The correct idea seems to be 
to deserve, but liot to desire the approbation of men. 

Then, O Heavenly Father, enable me to pursue my lawful 
occupation, not only with pure and just principles, but with 
care and industry, so that I may constantly receive thy divine 
encouragement and support. I pray God that I may at all 
times hear professional men extolled without any feeling of 
envy or uneasiness, and tbat my unclean heart may be sub- 
dued and cleansed. 

Shall I indulge evil in my heart while I profess to be a fol- 
lower of Christ? God forbid it. Let me then pursue the 
even tenor of my way, continually referring every thing to 
God, and walking before him blameless. It is a bad propen- 
sity in a popular assembly for arty one to desire to be promi- 
nent, or to push one's self forward to fill the place of honor. 
All such feelings are sinful and devilish. 

When I am unfaithful to God and have not the spirit of 
Christian humility and meekness, then I feel the diabolical* 



14 

spirit of envy, and it regards as well the talents as the wealth 
and reputation of others. These sinful affections are a sure 
indication that I have not subdued my corrupt nature by walk- 
ing closely with God. 

These are the lusts of the flesh which are warring against 
the Spirit. 

Considering all my imperfections, and the numerous errors 
of my life, I have very little reason to be proud or to claim 
the respectful attention of men. 

I am not entitled to the respectful attention of men either 
from my talents or my virtues. 

Men ought not to be mistaken in regard to these things, and- 
therefore, as a just man, I ought not to expect this distinction. 
All that I should aim at is not to bring disrepute on the cause 
of Christ. O that God, for Christ's sake, would endow me 
with more humility ! 

When I feel mortified or jealous of the attention of men 
either to myself or my family, I ought to ask what indignities 
did not ray Saviour Christ submit to % He was meek and- 
lowly ; he even washed the feet of some poor fishermen, (being 
his disciples) ; he desired not the honors of the world ; he was 
not mortified when they were withheld from him ; when he 
was reviled, he reviled not again. 

These honors are not only not desirable, but they would be 
absolutely prejudicial to me. 

I am striving to be a follower of Christ ; the very fact of my 
coveting these attentions, or feeling any uneasiness on the 
subject, is an evidence that all is not right within. 

I trust these little mortifications are sent upon me as 
tests to show that the work of God is not yet finished in 
-ny heart. . 

I will lay low at the feet of Jesus. I will beseech 
God, for Christ's sake, to purge ray heart of this unclean- 
ness. 

I will seek the approbation of Christ ray Saviour. 

I must withdraw myself from ail competition, strife, and 



15 

emulation. I must not aim to be superior or even equal to 
my neighbour in any thing, but in all my doings I must have 
a single eye to the glory of God. My duty toM^ards God must 
be so entirely transcendent above every other consideration, 
that when this is clearly ascertained, my course is no longer 
doubtful. 

To hear evil spoken of my fellow men vv^ith pleasure, is an 
alarming symptom of the heart. 

Gh, God ! give me grace to eschew this diabolical feeling ; 
it arises from envy, that mean, unmanly passion. Great 
God ! deliver me from it, for Christ's sake. O supplant it 
in my heart, and let holy love and universal benevolence be 
substituted in its place. I ask it through my Redeemer 
Christ. 

It is the bitter remains of sin. O cleanse my heart from it. 

Let me cease to love or desire worldly goods, or worldly 
importance, and I shall not envy others the possession of them. 

Let me carefully avoid every temptation which may dissi- 
pate my mind, and seduce me to sin. May the world and its 
pleasures lose their charms, and its vanities become tasteless 
to me. 

Let the Christian continue his special efforts in respect to 
these sins, until, with the blessing of God, he has broken 
them down and swept them out of his heart. Fear not ; they 
will yield to the efficacy of prayer. While you pray, how- 
ever, watch against sin, for God will not hear you if you in- 
dulge evil in your heart. When these evil affections have 
been conquered, strike them from your catalogue, and bless 
God that you are gaining ground. I need not admonish you 
to bless God on this occasion ; you cannot help doing it ; you 
will do it with a glow of gratitude that the sinner never felt ; 
it will create such a foretaste of Heaven in your soul that you 
will forever cease to doubt, as well of the truth, as of the 
power of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. 

Secondly : Take up Slander and Backbiting with Preju- Slander. 
dice and Uncharitableness, These sins are of a very impure 



16 

character j they are absolutely incompatible with the spirit of 
Christian benevolence. He that loves all men, contemplates 
them as brethren ; consequently he is tender and forbearing 
in regard to their faults. His maxim is not to utter even a 
slanderous truth, much less a falsehood against another, unless 
for the sole purpose of doing good. And one ought not, at his 
peril as a Christian, to speak evil of his neighbor, unless his 
purpose is clearly benevolent. These sins, therefore, are 
early, yes, very early to be the subject of anxiety. Do not 
merely think of them ; let them be your special care ; let them 
for a time engross your principal attention and earnest prayer 
to God ; and while you pray set a watch over your tongue, 
and always remember that if you indulge sin in your heart, 
God will not hear you. If, therefore, while you pray to be 
delivered from these most odious vices, you indulge malice in 
your heart, your prayers will be unavailing. The cleaner the 
Christian's heart, the greater is the efficacy of his prayers. 
We have ordinarily no conception of the mighty power of 
prayer ; it breaks up habits that seem to have the force of 
second nature ; its blessed effects are unknown to the sinner ; 
and few indeed are the Christians who avail themselves to a 
sufficient extent of its divine influence upon the heart. The 
Christian who is free from the vice of envy rarely slanders, 
unless it be from a mere idle habit, which is indeed of a most 
censurable character. While on this subject I cannot refrain 
from remarking on the want of Christian discrimination in re- 
gard to the sinful character of actions. Many Christians, from 
a mere idle habit and without any good intent, detail and cir- 
culate slanderous reports, who at the same time would think 
it highly sinful to play at chess, whist, or dance for amuse- 
ment ; and while these are condemned in severe terms, they 
see no evil in smoking, chewing tobacco, or eating for plea- 
sure ; these habits are expensive, and some of them are offen- 
sive to others ; they are, therefore, clearly more reprehensible 
than games of amusement. 

The correct rule is this : If there be nothing in the act which 



17 

will prevent rae from loving God with all my heart, and my 
neighbour as myself, it is not sinful. He that loves his neigh- 
bour as himself, will not circulate reports injurious to his cha- 
racter ; nor will he practice a useless, costly habit which will 
diminish his ability to relieve the poor. We are bound also 
to keep our minds free from prejudice. Here is much to do. 
We acquire prejudices from the most trifling circumstances, 
and we are not always aware of their injurious consequences. 
Let the Christian be constantly on his guard against this mis- 
chievous affection, and pray to God for his protecting grace. 
Mason on Self-Knowledge contains the following excellent 
precepts : 

" The human mind is apt to be prejudiced for or against indi- 
viduals. We are attached from similarity of taste or temper, 
or something in the address that flatters our vanity, or some- 
thing in their humor that hits our fancy, or something in their 
conversation that improves our understanding. 

Is our esteem or aftection rightly placed 1 

As to his evil prejudices, let us consider — 

X. His way of thinking, talking or acting, may be juster than 
ray own. 

2. He may not have had the same opportunities or advan- 
tages of improving his understanding or manners. 

3. He may have many other excellencies which I have not. 

4. Or he may have greater weaknesses or infirmities of his 
nature to guard against. I ought not to harbor a dislike to 
him, but rather to love and pity him. 

5. Let me consider whether he really intended to offend me, 
and whether I do not impute that to ill nature which is only 
the result of bad manners. Do I not take offence before it is 
given ■? If so, the fault is mine. 

6. Did I not provoke him to it ? I ought to have known his 
pride, passion or peevishness better. 

• 7. How came I in his company ? Have I not myself com- 
mitted some indiscretion 1 



IS 

8. Does not my discontent aggravate the evil 1 

9. I must forgive if ever I expect to be forgiven." 

I must not judge rashly. I am to condemn vice. But 
where any one professes to be a follower of Christ, and shows 
some of the fruits of the gospel, I am not to be hasty in my 
condemnation of such men. Perhaps they have many Christ- 
ian virtues which I have not. 

I must rather speak of what has appeared to be my duty, 
how my experience has taught me, and what seems to be ne- 
cessary in my particular case. If any thing is decidedly 
contrary to the gospel, as appears by the word of God, I am 
bound so to speak of it. 

My imperfections are so great that I shall require every 
moment that God has given me to conform myself to the 
blessed example of my Saviour. 

Enable me, O God ! to be extremely careful how I judge my 
fellow beings. 

The indulgence of anger is a besetting sin of most Christ^ 
ians. It often betrays them into faults. It sometimes rises 
up so suddenly that we sin before we have time to reflect. 
This is clearly a defect of our corrupt nature, which should 
be subdued with all possible expedition. I never got angry in 
the whole course of my Christian life, without doing something 
to be repented of. I certainly never did a prudent act while 
under the influence of this unholy passion. It has often tar- 
nished my Christian character. It has, with me, been the 
subject of much grief and much prayer. I witnessed upon 
one occasion, an angry parent chastising his child with such 
dreadful severity that the scene was almost insupportable. 
After ceasing for a moment, he attempted to make a second 
attack, when the little sufferer, terrified beyond description, 
prayed for my interposition. I thereupon dissuaded the parent 
from inflicting any further punishment ; but the fury of his 
countenance still bespoke the raging of this awful passion. I 
strongly admonish parents never to correct their children or 
domestics while under the influence of this passion. " Be 



19 , 

patient, and learn to forego your inclinations when duty re- 
quires it," is a sound maxim, under the influence of which the 
Christian should constantly live. By this rule, and by con- 
stant prayer to God, he will undoubtedly be delivered from 
this most odious sin, with its concomitant vices hatred, and 
malice. 

This is indispensable to the Christian. He cannot resist temp- Fortitude, 
tation ; he cannot bear the scoffing, the ignominy, that his 
character will draw down upon him, without fortitude. The 
world tolerates nominal religion — it is highly respectable. But 
to v/alk closely with God, to hunger and thirst after righteous- 
ness, to possess experimental piety, is degrading, mean and 
fanatical. The high-minded man has nothing in common with 
the meek and lowly follower of Jesus Christ. Take my yoke 
upon you, and learn of me, for I am meek and lowly, is a re- 
quisition wholly incompatible with his character. The Christ- 
ian must make up his mind to be despised and rejected of 
men. He will soon find (if he lives near to God) that his old 
companions in sin will forsake him. They will be apprehensive 
that he may speak of religion, of death, and of a judgment to 
come, all of which subjects are disagreeable to the man of 
pleasure. He (saith our Saviour) that loveth father or mother 
more that me, is not worthy of me ; and he that taketh not his 
cross and foUoweth after me, is not worthy of me. The fear 
of men is often a great obstacle in the road to heaven. *' Shun "wilberforce. 
the observation and the applause of men, looking only unto 
him who seeth every thought of our hearts, and every secret 
motive of our action ;" or " Love to be concealed and little es- .ler. Taylor. 
teemed. Be content to want praise, never being troubled 
when thou art slighted or undervalued, for thou canst not 
undervalue thyself," are maxims of good and great men. 

" Careless, myself a dying- man, 

" Of dying- men's esteem ; 
" Happy, Oh God ! if thou approve, 

" Though all beside condemn." 

Pray that you may be deeply rooted and grounded in faith. 
This alone will give the fortitude necessary to your Christian 



20 

character. Doctor Dick, in his Philosophy of Religion, has 
the following passage, which is worthy to be written on the 
tablet of your memory : 

" Without faith it is impossible to please God. The man 
in whose heart the principle of faith operates, convinced that 
he is guilty before God, and exposed to misery on account of 
sin, confides in the declarations of God respecting the remis- 
sion of sins, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. 
He confides in the goodness, mercy, faithfulness, and power 
of God, which secure the accomplishment of his promises, and 
the supply of all requisite strength and consolation to support 
him amidst the dangers and afflictions of life. He confides in 
the wisdom and excellence of those precepts which are pre- 
scribed as the rule of his conduct, and which are fitted to 
guide him to the regions of happiness ; and in the exercise of 
this confidence, he adds to his faith fortitude and resolution — 
knowledge, temperance, patience, godliness, brotherly kind- 
ness, and charity, and prosecutes with courage this course of 
obedience, till at length an entrance is abundantly adminis- 
tered to him into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and 
Saviour Jesus Christ." 
Ashamed of This Subject is closely allied to the last. The religion of 
Christ. ^Yie gospel is opposed to the pride of the human heart. It is 
often one of the severest trials of the Christian to deny him- 
self and take up his cross and follow Christ. Whosoever (says 
Christ) shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adul- 
terous and sinful generation, of him also shall the son of man 
be ashamed when he cometh in the glory of his Father with 
the holy angels. The fear of man, the desire to keep terms 
with the world, the dread of being called a bigot, a fanatic in 
religion, have been rocks upon which many a Christian has 
suffered shipwreck. A bold disciple of the cross looks only 
to God for approbation and support. He does not fear what 
man can do unto hira, and he is not ashamed of the cause of 
Christ. But it is otherwise with the faint hearted Christian ; 
and until he ceases to be ashamed of Christ, he will make 
very little progress in divine grace. Let him therefore 



21 

awake from this dangerous apathy — his immortal soul is in 
danger. 

" Soldiers of Christ arise, 
" And put your armor on." 

Determine at once that you will shun the observation and 
the applause of men, and become a real servant of Jesus 
Christ. After many trials and temptations, the following 
resolutions were formed and adopted by the writer on an oc- 
casion when he took fresh courage in the cause of his Master. 

I will give myself up to God without reserve, and will no 
longer keep terms with the world. 

The blessed effects of this surrender will soon be felt- It 
will consist of — 

1st. A full confidence in the declarations of God respecting 
the remission of sins, through the redemption that is in Christ 
Jesus. 

2d. A full and entire confidence in the goodness, mercy, 
faithfulness, and power of God, which secure the accomplish- 
ment of his promises, and the supply of all requisite strength 
and consolation to support me amidst the dangers and afflic- 
tions of life. 

3d. I shall cease to be anxious about worldly matters, hav- 
ing confided all to God. I shall trust in his providence. If 
adverse fortune overtakes me, I can console myself w^ith the 
reflection that it is the hand of God, it is my heavenly Father 
that has visited me, and that for some object beneficial to 
myself. 

4th. After such full surrender, my connection with the world 
will not prevent me from the accomplishment of my whole 
duty to God. 

I shall not feel anxious to keep terms with the world, and 
whenever my duty to God requires me to forfeit the good 
opinion of men, I shall do it without compunction. 

I shall be contented with my situation and condition in life. 
I shall not be anxious to accomplish more than by steady, so- 
ber and faithful industry I shall be able to do. I shall de- 
termine deliberately, and in the fear of God, what I ought to 
do, aud then do it faithfully. 

3 



22 

In regard to leisure moments, let them all be devoted to 
God. 

My thoughts must not dwell on any thing that is not useful, 
" or that does not promise to turn to account either in this 
world or that which is to come. I must reflect that that world 
which is to come is now here almost at my door. 

The great object, to which all my exertions must be directed, 
is to become more and more conformed to my Saviour Christ, 
to love God supremely, and to be filled with the spirit of uni- 
versal benevolence. 

I must constantly look unto Jesus, and not to the world. It 
is not material how mortals are impressed with my conduct, 
appearance, or sentiments; but it is altogether important that 
these should meet the constant approbation of Christ my Sa- 
viour. 

I have had too much respect for the opinion of the world, 
I have been over solicitous for the good opinion of men. This 
error of my life is now to be amended. I am not to be inat- 
tentive to the ordinary rules of decorum, but am to cultivate 
a spirit of kindness, gentleness, and universal benevolence. 

My intercourse with man is to be open, cheerful, gentle, 
and kind. 

But above all things let me look unto Jesus. In the Ian* 
guage of Bishop Porteus, ** Shun the observation and applause 
of men, looking only unto him who seeth every thought of our 
hearts y and every secret motive of our action. The approbation 
of an enlightened conscience is better than the applause of 
men." 

Lord God ! give me grace that I may constantly look unto 
my Saviour Christ. 

If I am in doubt, in regard to what I ought to do, let me at 
once ask the question. How would my Saviour have done 
this % The answer will always be satisfactory to a troubled 
soul. 
Truth. A strict observance of truth is exceedingly important to a 
thrifty Christian. If he finds himself disposed to wander from 
it, he has great occasion for alarm. He should make it a sub- 
ject of special prayer and great watchfulness. I cannot re- 



23 

I 

frain from introducing here Doctor Dick's observation on this 
important subject. They are contained in his Philosophy of 
Religion. 

" In the depraved society of our world, (says he,) truth is vio- 
lated in ten thousand different ways. It is violated in thoughts, in 
words, in conversations, in oral discourses, in writings, in 
printed books — by gestures and by signs, by speaking and by 
remaining silent. It is violated in reference to the character 
of our neighbor, when we invent tales of falsehood respect- 
ing him : when we listen with pleasure to such tales when 
told by others : when we sit mute, and refuse to vindicate his 
character, when it is unjustly aspersed : when we endeavor 
to aggravate the circumstances which may have accompanied 
any criminal action : when we make no allowances for the 
force of temptation, and the peculiar circumstances in which 

th criminal may have been placed: when we fix upon an 
insulated act of vice and folly, and apply it to our neighbor 
as a general character : when we rake up, with a malevolent 
design, an action which he has long since reprobated, and re- 
pented of: when his character is made the subject of jest 
or merriment, and when, by smiles, and noddings, and ges- 
tures, we insinuate any thing injurious to his reputation. It is 
violated in promises, when we promise either what we have 
no intention of performing, or what we had no right to pro- 
mise, or what is out of our power to perform, or what would 
be unlawful for us to execute. It is violated in threatening^ 
when we neglect to put them in execution, or when we 
threaten to inflict what would be either cruel or unjust. When 
the conduct of liars and intriguers, of public robbers and 
murderers, is varnished over with a false glare of heroism and 
glory, and when the actions of upright men are without suffi- 
cient evidence, attributed to knavery or to the influence of 
fanaticism." 

From this article it will be seen in how many ways truth 
may be violated, and how various and extensive is the duty of 
a meek and lowly follower of Jesus Christ in the observance 
of truth, I would add that we should be extremely careful 
how we raise expectations that may not be realized. This is 



24 

a common error, and should be considered a violation of 
truth. 

„. , , The desire for wealth, honor and fashion. These desires 

Wealth, 

Honor, are sufficient not only to mar the happiness of man in this life, 
p. ^° but also greatly to impede his progress in the road to Heaven. 
The real disciple of Christ will consider this subject as of vital 
importance. If the love of wealth, of honor, or of reputation, 
has a prominent place in his affections, and if he is not deter- 
mined to subdue them, he may almost give up happiness in 
this world, as well as in that which is to come. There is no 
precept, no command in the Holy Scriptures which, on exami- 
nation, will not be found to rest upon infinite wisdom, and to 
contribute to the present, as well as to the future and eternal 
happiness of man. When, therefore, our blessed Saviour said, 
lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth where moth and 
rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal, 
but lay up for yourselves treasures in Heaven, where neither 
moth nor rust doth corrupt and where thieves do not break 
through nor steal, for where your treasure is, there will your 
heart be also. He said to man consult your present and your 
eternal happiness. Let us therefore be prudent and indus- 
trious, and leave the rest to God. Let the supreme object of 
our solicitude be to grow in grace, and to become more and more 
conformed to the will of God. It is only the thrifty Christian 
who can appreciate the happiness which attends a triumph 
over an habitual sin. When the Heavenly traveller perceives 
that by the grace of God, he has overcome an evil affection, 
he desires to bless God beyond all the powers of his soul ; and 
the happiness which attends this state of feeling is far greater 
than the sinner has ever been permitted to feel. This will, 
in an eminent degree, be the happy condition of that man who 
successfully conquers the love of wealth, and the supreme 
object of whose affections is the eternal God who governs the 
Heavens and the Earth. 

Man will not believe the truth in regard to the shortness of 
human life, and the consequent futility of laying up treasures 
on earth. The study of political arithmetic would open the 
eyes of many in this respect. By looking over the annuity 



25 

tables and acquainting ourselves with the rules for calculating 
the chances of human life, most men will find that they have 
been much mistaken in their estimate of longevity. At best, 
all is uncertain, all is vanity. Thoii hast many goods ; take 
thine ease, eat, drink and be merry, (said the rich man to 
his soul) ; but God said unto him, thou fool, this night thy soul 
shall be required of thee. The following sentiments were the 
result of my reflections : 

" G-ive me neither poverty nor riches, lest I be poor and steal, 
or rich and deny thee." 

Now this sentiment contains true wisdom. God knows what 
is best for me. If I was poor and necessitous, I should be 
tempted to do wrong. If I was rich, I should be apt to indulge 
my feelings, my appetite, and my pride, so as to lead me away 
from the path of righteousness. My fortune is therefore such 
as my Heavenly Guardian has seen best to confer upon me. 
Shall I then desire to have it otherwise ? Shall I murmur*? 
Shall I presume to question what God's wisdom has ordained 
for my eternal benefit ? Gh God, I beseech thee open my eyes 
to see and to understand that this dispensation of thy Provi- 
dence is intended for my special good. Enable me to see and 
acknowledge thy hand, thy overruling Providence in this par- 
ticular circumstance. 

A thirst for fashionable life is poison to the Christian's soul, p^g^^oj, 
It is entirely inconsistent with his views and feelings. His 
associates in those walks are altogether unprofitable ; and, 
like Noah's dove, he finds no rest there for the sole of his foot. 
The following reflections were the result of my experience 
on this subject : 

I must always strictly observe the rules of good breeding, 
and so far as the same are not inconsistent with religion, the 
established rules of etiquette : But I must not aim at, or desire 
to be a fashionable man. There is no passion that is more 
destructive to religion. The little subterfuges that are some- 
times resorted to, to sustain fashionable life, are unworthy of a 
Christian. I have seen persons ambitious of this distinction 
exceedingly fearful lest they should compromise their fashiona- 
ble standing ; they would not, upon some occasions, be seen 

4 



26 

conversing, or even sitting in a pew at church, or otherwise 
associating with an unfashionable family; even their nearest 
relatives, if not fashionable, must be avoided ; they will court, 
by the most sycophantic means, persons of high consideration^ 
and it is often by acts so degrading as these that a standing in 
fashionable life is sustained. 

Surely I that am striving to serve God and secure my eter- 
nal interest, can take no part or lot with such men ; but while 
I entertain these views, let me love and pray for them, so that 
I may be a true disciple of my Saviour Christ. Oh God, ena- 
ble me to yield up forever all ideas of fashionable life. 
Selfishness. ^^® principle of selfishness is extremely difficult to subdue 
in the heart of man ; it ought not to be entirely eradicated. 
There are many things which concern ourselves, and which 
morality and religion require us to attend to. For example : 
if any provide not for his own, and especially for those of his 
own household, he hath denied the faith and is worse than an 
infidel ; and there are also certain principles of our nature 
which are essential to self-preservation ; but the selfishness 
which is condemned by our religion, is of two kinds : first, 
that which may be termed the spirit of party ; and secondly, 
selfishness in the ordinary sense of the term, and which con- 
sists in an exclusive regard to personal feeling and personal 
comfort, without reference to the happiness of others, and also 
by that morbid love of wealth which is destructive to the du- 
ties of benevolence and charity. 

The injurious consequences of the spirit of party are very 
extensive. One of a most serious character is to be found in 
religious sects holding a particular dogma which they feel 
bound to support. Persons of this description are not open to 
the light of truth; they feel pledged to support their parti- 
cular creeds, and for this purpose will often pervert the mean- 
ing of the plainest texts of Scripture ; so in respect to the 
great, the almost universal abuse of reason and judgment by 
politicians who are wedded to a party ; they cease to be can- 
did, reasonable beings ; they become the advocates of a party ; 
the opinions of almost every politician in this country on a 
new political measure can be known at once by ascertaining 



27 

to what party he belongs. Most men do not think for them- 
selves ; they adopt the opinion of other's without examination ; 
and thus it is with politicians that the faculties of reason and 
judgment have, upon political questions, fallen into disuse. 
The brute is swayed by his appetite-^— the sectarian by his 
creed, and the politician by his party. It is high time that 
men should begin to seek after truth ; that they should cease 
to be governed by party prejudice, either civil or religious. 
If the splendid talents which are now, in a great degree, de- 
voted to popularity in the Congress of the United States, were 
exclusively employed in the investigation of truth, what great 
and good results might be expected to flow from such exer- 
tions. A hope is entertained that religious men will, at no 
great distance of time, get tired of political chicanery, and seek 
after truth, I cannot well conceive how a warm partizan can 
be an experimental Christian. He must either be a traitor to 
Grod or to his party. Party measures, having popularity for 
their object, are, in general, insidious and hypocritical. To 
the meek and lowly Christian, then, I say, come out from 
amongst these politicians, and be ye separate. 

That love of self, which is injurious to others, and 
which interferes with Christian duties, is extremely preju- 
dicial. The miser who has acquired a morbid love of riches, 
is sacrificed to this passion. His moral condition is truly 
awful. How hardly (said our blessed Saviour) shall they that 
have riches enter into the kingdom of heaven ? This love of 
riches swallows up all other passions. It is difficult for the 
miser even to do justice at the expense of his interest ; and as 
to acts of charity, they are rarely performed by him. The 
inordinate love of self-admiration prevents us also from doing 
justice to others. We become envious and covetous. One of 
the most important duties of the Christian is benevolence. 
This is wholly inconsistent with self-love. It requires us to do 
unto all men as we would they should do unto us. In short, 
selfishness must be rooted out from the heart of the Christian. 
It does not belong to the regenerate man. He ought to be 
disinterested. Our blessed Saviour was in no wise selfish. 



28 

He laid down his life for others, and thus set for us a perfect 
example of benevolence and charity. 
Wastincr of Wasting of precious time. This is the sin of the unwise — 
time. the improvident Christian. The foolish virgins took their 
lamps, and took no oil with them, and when they came the 
door was shut. Watch, therefore,- for ye know neither the 
day nor the hour the Son of man cometh. Human life is short 
at best, and altogether uncertain in its tenure. Work while it 
is day, the night cometh when no man can work. There is no 
subject upon which the industrious Christian should be more 
jealous than this. He should husband his time as a raiser does 
his pence. Let him therefore frequently and constantly look to 
this important subject. H-e must, of course, watch and pray ; 
and if he finds his mind disposed to wander, let him, by the 
faculty of attention, bring it to think on some one of the great 
imperfections of his heart. The growing Christian ought al- 
ways to have on hand, or in other words, to be laboring against 
some one imperfection of his nature. What are you doing 
now 1 said one Christian to another. Answer. I am now, 
and have been for the last six weeks, engaged in prayer to 
God, that he would subdue ray proud heart. The Christian 
should never be entirely idle. If he be riding, walking, sit- 
ting, or standing, with an unemployed mind, let him say. Now 
is the time to think of this particular imperfection of my 
heart. Now is the time to pray to God for his special grace 
in this respect, and let him ply himself accordingly. The 
Christian who works thus will be sure to gain ground ; and 
when he arrives at the door, it will not be shut. He will enter 
the everlasting gate, and will set down with Abraham, Isaac, 
and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven. On this subject also, as 
well as on all others, let him write down in his book the ope- 
rations of his raind. The following is copied from the entries 
of a fellow traveller to eternity : 

My greatest defect of Christian duty now is, the wasting of 
ray precious time. I do not improve a large portion thereof to 
the glory of God, and to my advancement in the divine life. 
This grand error requires my instant attention. I have in- 



29 

dulged myself in musing on needless, unprofitable subjects. 
I must now cast out all such thoughts, and recollect that it is 
sinful to indulge in thinking on matters that never may be- 
come useful or proper ; and that there are urgent and pressing 
things that concern my eternal interest, that require present 
attention. 

O God ! I feel the absolute necessity of reformation. I 
pray thee, for Christ's sake, to help me to economize my pre- 
cious time. Enable me to employ every moment of it to some 
holy and religious purpose. Great God ! give me pious in- 
dustry. May I be alive to thee and dead to the world. When 
I feel cold, lukewarm, or irresolute, wilt thou, Oh God ! re- 
animate my drooping spirits. Give me thy quickening grace, 
that I may speedily recover from such apathy and indiffer- 
ence. 

This subject can never be stricken from our memoranda. 
It must occupy the Christian during his whole life. The end 
of all things is at hand. Be ye therefore sober, and watch 
unto prayer. 

To the Christian who wants all his time to purify his heart, Wandering 
wandering thoughts are an alarming symptom. The indul- thoughts. 
gence of these is expressly forbidden in the holy scriptures. 
A vast deal of time has been w^asted in this way which 
might have been profitably employed in prayer to God. 
I will introduce here directions from Mason on Self-knowledge 
on this particular subject : 

"Guard against (says he) — 

1. All fretful and discontented thoughts. 

2. Do not harbor anxious or apprehensive thoughts. 

3. Dismiss all angry or wrathfu! thoughts. 

4. Drive away all untimely, unprofitable, silly, unreasona- 
ble thoughts. 

5. Cast out all wild and extravagant thoughts. 

6. Repel all impure and lascivious thoughts. 

7. Calm all hurried and exciting thoughts. 

8. Do not indulge gloomy or melancholy thoughts. 

9. Reject with abhorrence all profane and blaspheraous^ 
thoughts.'* 



30 

There is no habit of the mind more to be guarded against 
than unprofitable musing, and especially what is called build- 
ing castles in the air. The mind ought always to be profit- 
ably employed. 

A wandering imagination, the indulgence of unholy 
thoughts, is now my besetting sin. The anticipation of future 
beneficial events, that may, or may not happen, often 
occasions much uneasiness. The mind is apt to make calcu- 
lations, and to build upon such events, as if they had actually 
happened ; and when disappointment comes, it occasions great 
uneasiness. O God ! for Christ's sake, enable me to eschew all 
such habits, and to anticipate happiness only in the world to 
come, where there can be no disappointment. 

Oh God ! I am sensible that this is displeasing to thee. 
Help me, therefore, gracious Parent, to cast them out imme- 
diately, and in place thereof to indulge heavenly medita- 
tions. 

Coldness or lukewarmness. When these feelings take pos- 
session of the industrious Christian, he becomes much alarmed. 
He apprehends that he is receding from the love of Christ. 
They are in general caused by the commission of sin, or by 
neglect of duty. He who walks close with God is seldom 
subject to them. Prayer — fervent prayer — is the remedy. 
The following reflections were wrtten under this state of feel- 
ing : 

I feel that I now savor of the world. My affections are 
scattered. My corrupt nature has paralyzed my soul. I can- 
not concentrate my aspirations towards the throne of Grace. 
I fear that I am not now a child of God ; that I do not love my 
Saviour Christ. Oh ! that I could feel properly humbled be- 
fore God, my maker. 

Lord God ! I feel that I have incurred thy displeasure. I 
am at a distance from thee. I am unworthy to pray even for 
the pardon of ray sins. I have a burthen of sin upon me. I 
have no peace. My conscience is disquieted within me. 

Lord God ! have mercy upon me, a siuher, and enable me 
now to feel a godly sorrow for sin ; that I may be justified in 
thy sight, through Jesus Christ my Saviour. 



31 

Despondency is a feeling which sometimes comes over the Despondency. 
A^hild of God. It is often occasioned by an irregular state of 
the body. Under such circumstances the Christian should 
recollect that it is but momentary, that it will shortly give 
place to the blessed spirit of hope. This feeling too is fre- 
quently productive of good. We require more humility, and 
dark moments are often beneficial in this respect. The follow- 
ing reflections were written during such a state of feeling : 

I am very uneven in my feelings. Sometimes my whole 
soul breathes nothing but God. At other times, I have no re- 
ligious energy. I am cold and lukewarm. It appears to me, 
upon these occasions, as if I were in great danger of falling 
into sin. I strive to pray, but I have not the spirit of suppli- 
cation. My prayers seem unavailing. In place of going for- 
ward in the road to Heaven, I seem to recede. What shall 
I do 1 Lord ! Thou hast the words of eternal life — I will 
look unto thee. My help cometh from thee. Oh ! help these 
infirmities. Give me the comfort of thy help again, and 
establish me with thy free Spirit. 

It is decidedly sinful to covet any thing which belongs to Chastity. 
another. A woman's attractions are given her to the end 
■that eligible persons may be induced to marry her, and to 
provide for her maintenance during her life ; and to avail 
ourselves of them upon any other condition than that of 
matrimony, is as sinful as it would be to steal or to cheat, 
and ought to bring one into disgrace and disrepute in the 
same manner as the crime of theft. There are, at this time, 
petitions before our Legislature for a law declaring seduc- 
tion an indictable offence. Such a law would be just and 
proper. To steal the money of a female is less sinful than 
to tarnish her honor. If the seducer is sent to the state 
prison for a term of years, his crime will meet its proper 
punishment in public estimation. But even to look on a wo- 
man to lust after her, is to indulge sin in the heart. Let the 
Christian beware of all impurity in this respect. 

Oh, Gracious God ! give me chastity, and enable me always 
to cast out immediately every impure -impression. 



32 

Talking too Talking too mucli and indiscreetly is often injurious to the 
cause of religion. The tongue is indeed an unruly member, 
and we should watch and pray, lest we enter into temptation 
in this particular. It is a good habit, when we are about to 
enter into society, to pray for Christian prudence and discre- 
tion. I fear I have often wounded the cause of Christ by con- 
versations of an irreligious character. My experience led me 
to write on this subject as follows : 

I am too apt to speak when I should be silent. It is much 
better for me to withhold my words. A wise man h^ars much, 
but speaks little. 

I am not often properly called upon to give my opinion j 
perhaps the occasions are very few. 

It is by speaking too much and too often that one loses both 
influence and reputation. The opinions of those who talk 
much are rarely valuable, and they have but little , weight in 
the community. 

A true disciple of Jesus must be wise as a serpent, and 
harmless as a dove. 

I am to talk less, and to pray and to meditate more. 

It is by continual prayer and vigilance that the mind of a 
Christian is kept in a proper frame of humility and devotion ; 
and when this frame of mind is absent, then an uncertain and 
fluctuating condition succeeds, which is much to be deprecated 
and avoided. 

It is necessary to devote a portion of each day to God ; and 
without this, there is no true peace or prosperity for the Chris- 
tian. He requires continual support, and must seek it by 
looking steadfastly to Christ his Saviour. 
Impatience. Impatience. This is an obvious defect of Christian cha- 
racter; it is an unreasonable state of the mind, which tends 
to disqualify us for sound reflection or devotion. The 
Christian must not only be just, but reasonable. In fact, to 
be unreasonable is, in most cases, to be unjust. This temper 
of the mind is inconsistent with a gentle, meek and lowly 
spirit, and ought, under no circumstances, to be indulged. 
" Be patient and learn to forego your inclinations when duty 



33 

requires it." Prayer and vigilance are necessary to preserve 
us against this sin. 

Godliness with Contentment is great gain. The man who Discontented- 
is discontented with his fortune and circumstances, will find "®®®' 
little or no time for fervent, uninterrupted devotion ; his mind 
will necessarily be occupied with the causes of his discontent, 
when it should be anxious for his eternal welfare. Let us 
therefore do whatever prudence dictates, and leave the rest 
to God. Pray fervently for this state of mind, and it will be 
given you. I have learned, says St. Paul, in whatever state I 
am, therewith to be contented. 

The Christian ought not to be subject to capricious humors. Capricious 
He should determine, in the fear of God, what he ought to ^"'^°'^s- 
do, and do it with all his might ; his character ought to be 
firm ; he ought not to form his resolutions until he has well 
matured the subject. So in regard to his opinions of men, 
measures and doctrines ; they ought not to be formed from 
prejudice or from slight and insufficient grounds. There is 
no error of our lives more common than this. The political 
opinions of partisans are no test of truth. This is perfectly 
well understood. It is only by experience, as a general rule, 
that the people of this country arrive at any just conclusion as 
to the utility or inutility of political measures. In all cases 
where we have no opinions of our own, we are prone to adopt 
those of others ; which opinions, thus adopted, may have been 
the result of prejudice, or they may have been formed on 
slight or insufficient grounds. A just man ought to form no 
opinion until he has well matured the subject. 

The Christian must avoid excesses of every description. ^ ^^nt of 
All his desires, his appetites and propensities must be brought Moderation. 
into subjection. St. Paul says, I keep under my body and 
bring it into subjection, lest that by any means when I have 
preached to others, I myself become a castaway. Moderation 
of expression, with a caution which the fear of offending will 
dictate, will, in all cases, be found to enter into the character 
of a disciple of Christ. Let your moderation be known to 
all meQ' 



min 



34 

So in regard to actions. We ought not to act without due 
deliberation. How many hasty actions do we constantly repent 
of. Wherever there is a moral responsibility, man should 
beware of two things — first, that his heart is right in the sight 
of God ; and, to this end, he must avoid all self-interest, pre- 
judice, party zeal or passion — and secondly, he must act un- 
derstandingly ; his information must be drawn from pure 
sources ; and in all doubtful cases, let him pray. 
A perturbed The Christian must be mild and gentle ; he must not suffer 
the mind to be perturbed or hurried. This is to be brought 
about by vigilance and prayer. By the use of such means, 
the mind will become calm and deliberate, and will not under- 
take to pass upon things until they are brought clearly and 
deliberately before it. A comment on this subject is .in the 
following words : 

Do not suffer the mind to be perturbed or hurried. 

That this maxim is important to me, I cannot doubt ; that 
it is possible for me to attain to it, is equally certain. I must 
employ more time in prayer and devotion. I think even three 
hours in the twenty-four would not be too much time to devote 
exclusively to God by reading and prayer. 

My mind is not always in a condition to judge rightly ; it is 
sometimes inactive, and at other times confused. Quere : Are 
not such things attributable to my sins 1 Does not God era- 
ploy them as means to humble my pride, and bring me to the 
footstool of his grace ? I think this is so. 

O, Gracious Parent! give me wisdom to amend my life,, 
and to learn thy ways. 

When my mind is not qualified, I should give no opinion. 
Under such circumstances, let me say, I am not prepared. 

Let my moderation be known to all men. I must watch the 
little beginnings of excitement. I must consider that a hasty 
opinion or action is more injurious than no opinion or action 
at all. I must recollect that I am morally responsible for the 
errors I commit. , Oh, God ! deliver me from them. 

Whatever judgment has been given me, enable me to exer- 
cise it in all its strength, with a due regard to truth, and without 
dissembling with God or man. 



35 

I am often influenced to hasty opinions by my anxiety to 
be considered quick in ray perceptions or qualified to give 
a right judgment. This is caused by that evil spirit of pride 
with which I have had so much trouble. Pride, with me, 
seems to be the root of all evil. 

The remedies are — 

1. Vigilance. 

2. Prayer. 
3 Industry. 

Eating to excess is a vice in respect to which even experi- Eating to 
mental Christians do not seem to be sufficiently aware. Its ^^^^^^* 
immoral effects will be clearly seen when we consider that it 
produces indisposition of the body which necessarily occasions 
irregularities of the mind, and unfits us for religious devotion. 

Moderation in eating, and circumspection as well in the 
quantity as the quality, tend to preserve health ; and are 
Christian virtues, the performance of which should be strictly 
attended to. Every meal we eat should be an act of worship, 
and hence such meal should be ate with great prudence and 
in the constant fear of God. The moment we become guilty 
of an indiscretion, the meal becomes sinful ; and as he that 
commits sin swallows poison, it must be expected to operate 
to our disadvantage. 

Oh God, for Christ's sake, give me this religious prudence, 
and may I always pray over every meal I eat. 

Christian circumspection is constantly required in regard to Performance 

the punctual performance of engagements. It is sinful to °^ eu^age- 

111-1 1 , , ^ ments. 

contract a debt which we have no reasonable prospect of pay- 
ing. It is reprehensible to promise what we may not be able 
to perform, or to make any lawful engagement without exert- 
ing ourselves for its strict performance. Every Christian is 
therefore bound, before he makes a promise, to institute the 
inquiry whether he can perform it ; and if this be doubtful, to 
shape his engagement accordingly. 

The active Christian has a serious duty to perform in this Pfodigality 
respect. He i-s bound, in the first place, to make a provision °ures.^^" ^' 
for his household. After which, he is responsible for all su- 
perfluous expenditures. We act as moral trustees, and must 



36 

give a strict account of our stewardship. A man may not do 
with his own as he pleases, provided his pleasure is not to do 
the will of the Almighty. Great and Eternal God ! How 
various, how extensive are the religious duties of man ! Oh! 
give me the Spirit of thy Grace, that I may be guided into the 
way of all truth. 
Loose keeping A Strict regard must be paid to the settlement of all accounts, 
of accounts, according to the principles of justice ; and, for this purpose, 
the Christian must be particular to make all entries before they 
are forgotten ; and in making them, he must have a religious 
regard to what appears to be right. 

Oh, God ! for Christ's sake, enable me to observe and keep 
these rules. 
Blessed are I lately Succeeded in reconciling two clever men who had 
peace-ma ers. f^j. gQ,^g time been enemies. I doubt, however,^ whether it 
was done sufficiently in the spirit of the Gospel. In Doctor 
Stanhope Smith's Sermon on the Forgiveness of Injuries, I 
find these observations : 

** We sometimes see parties at variance brought together by 
the address and management of common friends; to their in- 
stances, at length, they yield : But observe with what reluc- 
tance they meet ; what mutual coldness and distrust they be- 
tray at every step ; how many explanations must be made ; 
how many punctilios must be adjusted; how many compro- 
mises must be attempted, in order to save a false sentiment of 
honor. Do you believe that you have fulfilled the celestial 
law of charity by a reconciliation which has proceeded upon 
these grounds 1 No : Even the world is not deceived ; it sees 
that they are not friends ; it perceives, in their conversation, in 
their conduct, in their whole manner, the coldness of their 
hearts. The Spirit of the blessed Jesus regards a forgiven 
enemy like a brother reconciled ; and an enemy who refuses 
to be reconciled, it regards with those sentiments of meekness 
and benediction that can flow only from a heart touched and 
animated with the love of God." 

In reconciliations of this character, the disciple should be 



37 

cautious, lest he becomes a party to concessions not founded 
in truth. 

There is a proper lime to think of business, and a proper 
time to devote to God. Do not, my fellow Christian, allow Sunday. 
the business of this world to intrude on holy time. To keep 
out worldly thoughts, let the mind be properly employed in 
religious exercises, by devotional reading, writing and prayer, 
or by holy meditation. Short and fervent prayers are gene- 
rally to be preferred. In the course of Christian experience' 
the disciple will compile such a collection of prayers as will be 
applicable to himself The compilation will contain the princi- 
pal subjects of his solicitude. This should be committed to 
writing, and at least once every day it should be read over with 
a devotional spirit. A few short sentences may precede it. 
The following is copied from a religious pocket-book ; 

" God out of Christ is a consuming fire.'' 

*'It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God." 

" He that commits sin swallows poison, which, from that mo- 
ment, begins to operate." 

" Let your moderation b6 known to all men." 

"Shun the observation and the applause of men, looking only 
unto him who seeth every thought of our hearts and every se* 
cret motive of our action." 

" Love to be concealed and little esteemed ; be content to 
want praise, never being troubled when thou art slighted or 
undervalued, for thou canst not undervalue thyself." 

" Whether we eat or drink, or whatever we do, let us do all 
to the glory of God." 

"I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ, for it is the power 
of God unto salvation to every one that believeth." 

" This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation, that 
Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners, of whom I 
am chief; and blessed is he whosoever shall not be offended 
in me." 

" God is in Christ reconciling the world unto himself." 

Let me love all men, and show that I do so by my daily 
walk and conversation. 



The great doctrine of repentance towards God and faith in 
our Lord Jesus Clirist, with love to men and universal holiness, 
ought to employ our best and brightest hours of meditation. 

Pray for the spirit of humility. 

Pray for the spirit of true devotion and holiness. 

Eternity will shortly commence with me. Very shortly I 
shall launch into that blessed world of spirits where my 
Saviour Christ has gone before me, and where all departed 
saints are now in glory. 

May I remember that if I indulge evil in my heart, God 
will not hear me. 

He that Cometh unto me, T will in no wise cast off. 
Prayer. Oh, God ! thou seest me. Hallowed be thy name. Thou 
art my maker and my redeemer. I am not ashamed of thee, 
blessed Jesus. I will acknowledge thee at all times and under 
all circumstances to be my Lord and my God. I believe in 
the efficacy of thy blood to cleanse me from all sin, and to 
inspire me with perfect love to thee. May I shun the obser- 
vation and applause of men, looking only unto thee who seest 
every thought of my heart, and every secret motive of my 
actions. May I love to be concealed, and seek to withdraw 
myself from all competition, strife or emulation. May I 
worship thee in every act of nature, in every meal I eat, and 
in all the usual occupations of life. 

Help me to avoid every species of flattery, and to recollect 
that whatever of discontent and misery is hanging about me, 
is attributable to my sins. 

And help me, O God ! for Christ's sake, to eschew the love 
of worldly goods, and reputation for talents. And may I learn 
to be contented with what thou hast vouchsafed to give me, 
always remembering that all things work together for good to 
those who love thee. Enable me constantly to look unto thee, 
and not to the world ; to consider that it is not material how 
mortals are impressed with my conduct, appearance or senti- 
ments ; but that it is altogether important that they should 
meet thy divine approbation. Give me grace to cultivate a 
spirit of humility and meekness. Purge my heart from all 
envy, hatred and malice. Make me gentle, kind, open, frank 



39 

and cheerful towards all men. Give me grace to be just and 
upright in all my dealings, quiet and peaceable, full of com- 
passion, and ready to do good to all men ; and, above all things, 
give me a spirit of universal benevolence and charity, and 
enable me, O God! to be extremely careful how I judge my 
fellow beings ; and to remember that my imperfections are 
so great that I shall require every moment that thou hast 
given me to conform myself to the blessed example of my 
Saviour Christ. And since thou hast ordained that supreme 
love to thee is the only source and fountain from whence 
all Christian graces flow, let me hunger and thirst after this 
love ; and I here supplicate thee, for Christ's sake, to pre- 
pare my heart for the reception of it. 

May I be as unambitious, unaspiring and unconcerned 
about worldly honors and distinctions as a little child. 

Inspire me with truth and justice, and give me a pure heart 
and a right conversation. 

Enable me to exercise patience, forbearance, long suffering 
and universal benevolence. 

Give me the spirit of true devotion and holiness, that I may 
enjoy thy divine approbation. 

May I always remember that without faith it is impossible 
to please thee. 

Let me have a due sense of my guilt, misery and help- 
lessness, and confide in the promises of salvation through the 
merits of my Saviour Christ. 

And, O God ! increase my faith, and may I add to that faith 
fortitude, resolution, knowledge, temperance, patience, godli- 
ness and brotherly kindness ; and enable me to prosecute with 
courage this course of obedience till at length an entrance is 
abundantly administered to me into thy everlasting kingdom. 
Whatever judgment has been given nje, enable me to 
exercise it in all its strength, with a due regard to truth, 
and without dissembling with thee or my fellow men, always 
remembering that I am morally responsible for the errors I 
commit through indolence or haste. 

And without any selfish motive, let me constantly aim to 
be useful to my fellow men ; and for this purpose, give all my 



40 

talents, my energies, and my affections, a holy and righteous 
direction, that they may not serve any unholy purposes, or 
minister to any unholy desires. 

Let me beware of prosperity, lest I lose the just ballast of 
my soul, and wander in the unprofitable atmosphere of the 
world ; enable me to turn all my temporal vexations and 
afflictions to my spiritual advantage. 

Let me eschew all pride and vanity, and always remember 
that worldly importance is altogether fallacious. 

I have indeed nothing but what I have received at thy hands. 
Forbid, therefore, that I should sin against thee in consequence 
of thy merciful Providence to me. 

I am now willing to bear reproach and persecution for thy 
name's sake. 

The following prayer and reflections were occasioned by 
on the reading Edwards on the Affections : 

Affections. Great and eternal God ! who alone art perfect in holiness, 
infinite in love ! All power is in thy hands, and all homage is 
due to thee ! I desire to approach thy throne, and to contem- 
plate thy divine perfections, and by means thereof to become 
awed into submission to thy holy will, and to acquire — 

1. Supreme love to thee. 

2. Love to all mankind. 

3. Humility. 

4. Lowliness of mind. 

5. Meekness. 

6. Gentleness. 

7. Truth and justice-^and to become 

8. Unaspiring. 

9. Unambitious, and 
10. Unostentatious. 

There are many reasons why I should love God supremely : 

love'^to ^ First. Because 1 trust he loves me supremely, and will con- 

^°^- tinue to do so to all eternity. After mortals will have forgotten 

that I ever existed, God will remember me for good to all 

eternity. He has provided for my eternal happiness. 

2. My passions, feelings and manners have conspired to 
render my deportment too positive, fierce and severe, I yegyet 



4X 

that as a follower of the meek and lowly Jesus, I greatly lack 
in humility and meekness. I pray God that I may consider 
that I wound the cause of Christ whenever I exhibit such a 
deportment. 

3. The poison of envy is not wholly eradicated from my soul. 
Oh, Grod ! for Christ's sake, cleanse my heart from this sin. 

A good work seems to have been commenced in my heart, 
and I trust God is carrying it on. I do not find that the sins of 
my whole life are now troublesome to me. No : it is the im- 
perfections of my nature — it is these impurities that still hang 
about me. If I were now free from all unrighteous affections, 
I should feel sanctified in the sight of God. 

The Christian traveller will occasionally find it necessary to 
make new editions of his religious companion. Like the thrifty 
merchant, he will take frequent accounts of his stock ; and 
will endeavor, before God, to ascertain how he stands, and 
herein to inquire what progress he has made in the divine life 
since his last accounting. Let him remember that he that is 
not gaining ground, is receding. There is no standing still in 
the road to Heaven. The table of defects of character will 
(amongst other things) be varied according to his present ex- 
perience. A second edition of one of these contained the 
following list of imperfections : 

1. ^Want of firmness. 

2. Hasty opinions. 

3. Hasty actions. 

4. Undertaking to do things unprepared. 

5. A want of patience. 

6. A want of moderation. 

7. A want of fortitude. 

8. Indulgence in angry passions. 

9. Peevishness 

10. Uncharitableness for the opinion of others. 

11. A want of self-denial, forbearance, 
12 Wandering, unprofitable thoughts. 

13. "Wasting of precious time. 

14. Boasting, (nothing to boast of.) 

15. Indiscreet regimen. 

6 



4$ 

16. A want of supreme love to God. 

17. A want of humility, meekness and lowliness of mind. 

18. Selfishness. 

19. An impure heart. 

20. Prodigality of expenditures. 

21. A want of openness of heart. 

22. Too much pride in many things. 

23. A want of rigid adherence to truth. 

24. A hurried movement. 

25. An excited state of the mind. 

26. A want of compassion for others. 

27. Occasionallya low, degenerate, relaxed state of the mind. 
At this juncture, my feelings are cold, and prayer seems 
unavailing. 

Happiness. Happiness consists in a contented state of the mind. 
This arises from a body free of pain, and a mind satisfied 
with its condition, and in the constant anticipation of eter- 
nal bliss. This solid enjoyment can only be brought about by 
the religion of the Gospel. The more of this religion we have, 
the more of happiness we enjoy. What of discontent and 
misery is hanging about me, is attributable to my sins. There 
is not a single imperfection of my nature to which I cannot 
distinctly trace some trouble of my mind ; so, on the contrary, 
there is not a single Christian virtue which is not constantly 
bringing to my soul a rich reward. 

Man in this life should conform himself to the example of 
his Saviour. His constant endeavor should be to grow in grace 
and in the knowledge of the truth. We should take an account 
of our stewardship. We should husband our religious re- 
sources. We must ascertain the condition of our hearts and 
affections, and strive daily to amend them. This is the blessed 
economy of religion which every Christian should pursue. 

A single moment of our precious time should not escape 
without some improvement. Every act of nature should be 
an act of worship, and every faculty of the mind should be 
employed in improving the heart. There is a just way of 
doing every thing, and one can worship God, 

1. In every act of nature. 

2. In the usual occupations of life, 



43 

3. In every lawful pleasure and employment upon earth. 
With the mind properly disciplined, no real pleasure is 
denied. All our vicious propensities, when brought into sub- 
jection, give energy and holy ambition to the Christian, and 
become useful pleasures. The passion of pride, when 
stripped of its vicious companions, envy and love of admira- 
tion, becomes a just balance to the mind ; it strengthens the 
judgment, and greatly contributes to the formation of an emi- 
nent Christian, " For a small moment I have forsaken thee, 
but with great mercies will I gather thee. In a little wrath I 
hid my face from thee for a moment, but with everlasting kind- 
ness will I have mercy on thee, saith the Lord my Re- 
deemer." 

Work while the day lasts. The Christian has a great work 
to execute, that of forming himself after the pattern of his 
Lord and Master through the operation of the Holy Spirit, 
which is promised to our fervent prayers. 5th Chap. Gala- 
tians, 17th verse : *' For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit and 
the Spirit against the flesh, and these are contrary, the one to 
the other, so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. But 
if ye are led by the Spirit, ye are not under the law." Jer. 
Taylor says : " And if love hath filled all the corners of the 
soul, it is alone able to do all the work of God. There are 
some persons in whom the Spirit of God hath breathed so 
bright a flame of love that they do all their acts of virtue by 
perfect choice, and without objection." 

"Whether we eat or drink or whatever ye do, do all to the 
glory of God, by which rule every action of nature becomes 
religious, and every meal we eat an act of worship, and shall 
have its reward in proportion as an act of prayer. 

I bless God that I may worship him in every act of my pro- 
fession. Hannah More says : " Holy intention is to the ac- 
tions of a man that which the soul is to the body, or the root 
to the tree." 

11th Chap. Matthew, 29th verse : Take my yoke upon you 
and learn of me, for I am meek and lowly in heart and ye shall 
find rest to your souls ; for my yoke is easy and my burthen 
light. 



44 

It is my privilege to entertain the hope of eternal happiness. 
It animates the soul. 

Happiness ! Glorious happiness ! Eternal bliss is my por- 
tion forever ! 

That composure of spirit and peace of mind which I now 
experience is an earnest of the blessed condition of the saints 
of God. Even my few days upon the earth will be spent in 
happiness compared with the life of the unregenerate man. 

When they shall end, then commences an eternal weight of 
glory. Eye hath not seen nor ear heard, neither have entered 
into the heart of man the things that God has prepared for 
them that love him — 1 Corinth. 2d chap. 9th verse — Isaiah, 
64 : 4. But this happiness is promised to those only who con- 
tinue faithful until death. 

And the comparative happiness of the Christian in this life 
depends upon his entire devotion to God. He that undertakes 
to serve God and Mammon, will experience none of the bles- 
sings of Christianity. 

In that blessed world to come, there will be an eternal 
weight of glory. Let me imagine, then, the happiest 
moment of my whole life, and consider that this bears 
no comparison whatever with the blissful state of the saints ; 
and that that happy condition is to exist to all eternity. The 
blessing of an eternity of this character seems to be altogether 
beyond any thing that ought to be conferred on as frail a mor- 
tal as I am ; and this would be true as to myself; but it is the 
imputed righteousness of my Saviour Christ that will richly 
entitle me to this blessing. Oh ! how ought I to love and 
adore my Redeemer ! 

Let me set my aifections on things above, where Christ sit- 
teth at the right hand of God ; and not on things below, all of 
which will disappear in a moment of time. 

In a few years from this time, if I continue to grow in grace 
and hold fast to the end, I shall enter into the blissful state 
above-mentioned. At that time it will be unavailing to me 
what respect was shown to me in this world. Then I shall 
not regret that I was, by my fortune, my talents or my circum- 
stances, restrained from the indulgence of pride and vanity. 



45 

The absence of what my corrupt nature seems to covet naw, 
will then be rather a subject of joy than of grief. It is ex- 
ceedingly unwise to covet in time what will be prejudicial 
to me to all eternity. It is God that withholds these things 
from me in order to advance my eternal interest ; and shall I 
then murmur at this dispensation of my great Benefactor ? 

Oh ! thou great and eternal Grod ! Grant me now a fresh 
supply of thy sanctifying grace, that I may not only be recon- 
ciled to this discipline of my soul, but that I may bless thee for 
its gracious efficacy, and pray for the continuance of thy fos- 
tering care. 

After I shall have entered into the blessed state of the saints,, 
and shall have been millions and millions of years in its en- 
joyment, I shall have no less days to sing God's praise than 
when 1 first began. 

Oh, God ! give me now such a realizing sense of these great 
truths, that every thing in time, when compared with eternity,, 
may vanish forever. 

It is my privilege to joy even in the prospect of the grave.. 
I must believe that in every situation in which I can be placed 
by the will of God, that my happiness is safe. It is my Hea- 
venly Father who love^ me, that has thus disposed of me. It 
is his will that should be done on Earth as it is in Heaven. 
So let me never distrust his gracious Providence, but submit 
myself to it under all circumstances. 

No honor or pleasure, which the world can confer, is 
equal to the consolation of the blessed Gospel which I now 
enjoy. 

One thing is very important to me, and that is, to be candid ^ 
before God — to consider myself at all times, and under all ) 
circumstances, in his presence, rather than in the presence of 
men — to desire to appear to be, neither more nor less than 
what I am. God puts a just estimate on my character ; all 
ray imperfections are known to him, and they ought not to 
be concealed from men. I am a weak, feeble and imperfect 
being, having no moral strength of my> own, possessing no- 
thing — which ought to authorize me to look for the respectful, 
attention of men, 

7 



46 

I therefore pray God to enable me fully to realize these 
truths, and to give more grace that I may divest myself of all 
false pretensions, and may not dissemble either before God 
or man. 



47 



The author publishes the following entries from his Chris» 
tian Journal, in the hope that they may prove beneficial to 
travellers in that straight and narrow road that leads to eter- 
nal life ; it is believed that if the intelligent Christian would 
more frequently publish his trials and resolutions exactly as 
they occur to him, that such memoranda would often be found 
useful to the disciple of Christ, During the time in which the 
portion of the Journal now submitted, has been forming, the 
author has read with profit a little treatise, '* entitled All 
is Well," and also a book on the natural history of Enthusiasm ; 
from both of which many of the ideas here submitted were 
obtained, and even the language of the authors has been 
adopted ; it may be thought by some that these extracts are 
unnecessary, that those passages might as well have been read 
in the respective originals. The object of the author in trans- 
cribing them in his Journal was, that he might the more con- 
veniently read and pray over them in connection with the 
other subjects of his experience. 

March 24, 1841. 

I feel the want of a more perfect surrender to God. I 
ought not to repine at any event of his providence. 

I ought to turn every vexation, every disappointment, every 
loss, and every failure of an anticipated beneficial event, to 
my spiritual advantage. God requires this of his servants. I 
am striving to be a servant of the living God ; this is my duty, 
my privilege. It is the great, the distinguishing feature of the 
Christian, to render his misfortunes in life, beneficial to his 
immortal soul. Let me therefore continually rejoice in God, 
and in every event of his providence. 

Let me prove by my experience, that every disappointment, 
every loss, and every failure of an anticipated beneficial event, 
may be turned to my spiritual advantage ; and that by shun- 
ning the observation and applause of men, and looking only 
unto God, I can assure to myself heavenly peace and stability 
of mind, with such other advantages as these virtues may 
bring with them. 

7 



4S 

It is undoubtedly true, says a pious writer : " That every 
afflictive stroke of Providence sent upon the child of grace, is 
designed for his special benefit ; and although we cannot at 
all times see or understand the Divine purpose, yet some se- 
cret end is to be answered. God is in all. The hand and 
love of a father is there. They are to purge us from sin, to 
wean us from the world, to bring us to the foot of the 
Cross, to show us that our rest is not here, it is beyond 
the grave. What though they give us pain, they do us 
the more good : if it has not answered its object it will 
be repeated. Do not think any trial sanctified, till you are 
suitably affected. Are you humble I Are you prayerful 1 Are 
you submissive V* 

March 27, 1841. 

1 find myself continually beset by evil, unprofitable antici- 
pations of future events. J endeavour to cast them out of my 
mind, but they often return upon me. They are surely dis- 
pleasing to God, and therefore must be avoided. 

Carnal confidence, reliance on the world, on fortune, on 
the smiles of men, for approbation and support, are errors 
which I must become sensible of, before I can attain a tho- 
rough peace with God. My reliance must be on God, and not 
on the world. 

" Love of the creature and hopes and expectations of car- 
nal pleasures, are an evidence that the love of the world still 
lurks within. Our hopes and expectations should be of things 
beyond this life. We ought not to calculate on happiness 
here ; our kingdom is not of this world," &c. Now here lies 
a defect of my Christian character. 

O God, purge my heart from the love of this world, and 
from hopes and expectations of any future beneficial event thi^ 
side the grave. 

*' If we have our support, our comforts from the creature, wo 
indeed are we ; the creature has no power to afford us sup- 
port." 

Reliance upon God\ says the same author ^ prevents : 

** 1. Rash conclusions in regard to his providence. 



49 

2. It prevents sinful doubts ; we stagger not at the promises 
of God, but are strong in faith, giving glory to God. 

3. It prevents immoderate sorrow. The Christian does not 
give up in despair; he does not say I am ruined, I am un- 
done ; but he says God will, in his own good time, deliver me. 
I trust in God. 

4. The consolation is, that God hath done it — it is for the 
best. It is his hand, let him do what seemeth best, I am safe. 
There is nothing in which believers show a meaner spirit, 
(and yet few sins beset them more readily) than an anxious 
concern and care about some outward things which have in 
themselves no power to do good or evil any otherwise than as 
instruments, in God's hands, to attain his appointed ends. 

Blessings attending Resignation. 

1. It gives inward peace. " Thou wilt keep him in perfect 
peace whose mind is stayed on thee, because he trusteth in 
thee." Ps. 26. 13. 

2. It gives an enduring patience. We glory in tribulation, 
knowing that tribulation worketh patience. In your patience 
possess ye your souls. A man cannot be at peace without this. 
He is at the beck of every trial— every mere inconvenience in 
life has power to depress him. 

3. It creates in the soul living expectation. I will wait upon 
the Lord ; he will come at last. 

4. It produces in the soul settled praise and thankfulness. 
The Christian is persecuted, but not forsaken ; cast down, but 
not destroyed. Faith enables us to submit to all the provi- 
dences of God. O great and eternal God, for Christ's sake, 
increase my faith ! 

March 30, 1841. 

I feel this day a want of more faith, of religious stability ; 
the necessity of casting all my cares on Providence. I am 
troubled with wandering, unprofitable thoughts. 

Blessed Father, for Christ's sake, increase my faith, my reli- 
gious stability and firmness, and enable me to cast all my cares 
on thee, for thou careth for me ; give me grace to thrust out 



50 

all wandering, unprofitable thoughts, and enable me this day 
to employ all my time to some useful, some commendable 
object. 

JkZarc^Sl, 1841. 
Anxiety about worldly matters. 

Thoughts on this subject have much engrossed my mind this 
morning; my imagination has wandered, and wicked thoughts 
have beset me. Great God, deliver me from all worldly, all 
unholy thoughts, and enable me to cast my cares on thee. 

These thoughts are displeasing to God. Can I love him 
and continue to indulge them ? 

I feel my extreme sinfulness— my helplessness before God. 
My sole dependence is upon the ever blesseS. atonement. 

The following is taken from Mr. Fletcher's work on Chris- 
tian Perfectio7i. 

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us 
our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. To pro- 
mote this deep repentance, consider how many spiritual evils 
still haunt your breast. Look into the inward chambers of 
imagery, where assuming self-love, surrounded by a multitude 
of vain thoughts, foolish desires and wild imaginations, keeps 
her court. Grieve that your heart which should be all flesh is 
yet partly stone ; that your soul which should be only a tem- 
ple for the Holy Ghost to dwell in, is yet so frequently turned 
into a den of thieves, a hole for the cockatrice, a nest for a 
brood of spiritual vipers, for the remains of Envy, Jealotosy^ 
Fretfulness, Aiiger, Pride, Impatience, Peevishness, Formality^ 
Sloth, Prejudice, Bigotry, Carnal confidence. Evil sha?ne, Self- 
righteousness, Torme7itmg fears, JJncharitahleness, Susfidous 
idolatrous love. Probably many other evils which form the 
retinue of hypocrisy and unbelief. Through grace detect 
these evils, by a close attention to what passes in your own 
heart at all times, hut especially at an hour of temptatiori. 

By frequent and deep confessions, drag out all these abomi- 
nations, these sins which would not have Christ to reign alone 
over you ; bring them before him, place them in the light of 
Jiis countenance ; and if you do it in faith, that light and the 



51 

-warmth of his love will kill them, as the light and heat kill 
the worms which the plough turns up to the open air in a dry 
summer's day. Nor plead that you can do nothing, for by the 
help of Christ you can do all things. 

April 15, 1841. 
One besetting sin by which I have been this day condemned, 
is a disposition, where I am contending for any position, to give 
to the facts upon which it depends, an uncaudid, unfair con- 
struction ; this is an error, even in a professional point of view, 
that cannot be justified. I must be open, candid and just in 
all my intercourse with men. From this time forth I resolve, 
with G-od's assistance, to be exceedingly circumspect as to all 
such matters. O God, I rely upon thee for grace to aid me in 
this holy blessed work of reformation. 

I have ate too much this day. I have also taken what has disa- 
greed with me. I feel now rather disqualified for my religious 
devotions. I have sinned against Grod ; this 1 have often done 
in this same way, and have resolved and re-resolved not to com- 
mit a like error, and still I do it. 

Here is a radical defect of character, a want of firmness to 
resist temptation. I set out this day afresh ; I now resolve 
once more ; O that God would give me strength of purpose to 
resist temptation ! Let my judgment, and not my appetite, 
now direct and guide me. 

I ought to pray over every meal I eat that Grod will vouch- 
safe to me prudence — ReligioiLs prudence ; and to pray while 
I eat, to eat the entire meal in the fear of God. When I am 
about to eat a meal, I am about to enter into temptation. 
More prayer than usual is then required. 

April 17. 
Dark gloomy moments. These may be visited upon me for 
my sins. When I am sensible of them, let me consider that it 
is the visitation of God for, or on account of some imperfec- 
tion in my character ; and then let me humble myself under 



52 

the mighty power of God, and say it is God ; let him do what 
seemeth right in his sight. My duty is to be silent and know 
the rod and him that hath appointed it. 

I find that 1 am extremely nervous, that misfortunes of any 
kind, or even the least chance of loss, has power to depress 
and hurry me away from myself. They occasion irregulari- 
ties in my system which produce indisposition of body. Now 
this indisposition is produced by the operation of the mind ; 
and inasmuch as the soul has, by the grace of the Holy Spirit, 
power over the mind, and can by religious discipline bring it 
into holy subjection to the Spirit of God, it is in my power to 
correct this defect of Christian character, St. Paul said, we 
glory in tribulation, knowing that tribulation worketh patience ; 
it is therefore not only possible for me to submit to it with 
humble resignation to the will of my great Creator and Bene- 
factor, but also to contemplate it with thankfulness, inasmuch 
as it will, if rightfully improved, contribute to my spiritual ad- 
vantage. I must resort 

1st. To prayer. 2d. Exercise benevolence towards the in- 
dividual who occasions these untoward feelings. 3d. Be re- 
signed ; be submissive ; be humble. Do all that Christian 
prudence and industry can suggest, and leave the rest to God. 
A Christian, it is said, cannot enjoy himself if he does not at 
the same time enjoy his God, because the springs of patience 
are hid with God. 

It is said of Luther whatever opposition he found, whatever 
distemper he found in his mind, or distraction in his soul ; he 
at once carried it to the throne, and never gave over praying 
till he prayed his heart into the right frame. 

The state of the body sometimes affects the mind, but not 
the moral condition of the soul ; the nervous system is much 
disturbed by the weather or by the health of the body; if the 
weak, the almost unmeaning, irresolute state of the mind, 
arising from these causes, were chargeable to the moral and re- 
ligious account of man, he might well be discouraged ; he 
would often be tempted to think that God's grace did not afford 
him the strength necessary to his Christian character; but 
blessed be God, this is not so, he considers he knows that the 



53 

immottal soul, which is connected with the body, is liable to 
various corporal and mental! affections, whixjh are inseparable 
from the peculiar organization of man ; and which it is im- 
possible for the soul to escape by any moral power it possesses. 
All that is required of man, is to exert the moral faculties of 
his soul, and rely upon the grace of the Holy Spirit for the rest; 
his feelings will be unequal. They will savor of his corporal 
nature, of his nervous system ; but this is not impiety, it is 
not attributable to any defect in his religioas character. 

Gracious Parent, enable me to distinguish clearly between 
unholy affections and human affections, between the body and 
the soul. 

April 20, 184L 

THY WILL BE DONE. 

While the Christian continues an evil affection, he resists 
the will of his heavenly Father. 

When he prays against sin, let him at the same time recol- 
lect how great and good a Being he offends by continuing in it. 
This consideration will tend to subdue his impure affections ; 
he cannot displease that Being whom he loVes,and to whom he is 
indebted for all things. Gracious Parent, enable me, therefore, 
to guard against all uncleanness, and when I am tempted to 
do any thing whatever, let me inquire whether it is pleasing to 
God ; and if it be not, let me shun it as I would the most 
deadly poison. 

April 23, 1841. 

Is. 26 : 3.^-Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose 
mind is staid on thee, because he trusteth in thee. I trust in 
thee, give me inward peace. I will not trust in the arm of 
flesh : I will have no carnal reliance. 

This is what thou requireth of me, shall I do it *? O yes. 

On hoard Steamboat, April 27, 1841. 
My principal anxiety is for a clean heart — to be perfect in 
the sight of God. I do not appear to be fighting for a reward 
in the kingdom of heaven so much as for a clean heart here on 



64 

the earth. 1 certainly thirst after rightebtlsness, and I rely 
upon God that I shall be filled. Let me set a watch over all 
my imperfections — let me observe strictly both truth and 
justice. 

April 29, 1841. 
I have heretofore felt justified in the sight of God, but I 
seem to Want now more satisfactory evidence that I am pro- 
gressing successfully in the road to lieaven. I greatly desire 
a pure heart. O renew a right spirit within me ! I will not 
entertain an evil thought for one moment. I will, the grace 
of God assisting me, instantly thrust it out. O for a more 
perfect evidence that God is satisfied with me, that my sins 
are pardoned, that I have a,vailed myself of that blood which 
was spilt on Calvary. 

May 1, 1841. 
I am now fully satisfied that religion must be the first, the 
principal business of my life, and that the cares of the world 
must be secondary. If the cares of the world are the princi- 
pal object, then I shall serve mammon more than God, and 
consequently I shall not experience any of the comforts or 
support which the Gospel affords to the truly penitent disciple 
of Christ. I will, therefore, think more of God, and less of 
the world. It shall be my business to serve God with all my 
heart, and take much less care about the world than I have 
heretofore done. 

May 5, 1841. 

PEEVISHNESS PRETFULNESS IMPATIENCE. 

Great and Eternal God, deliver me from these distressing, 
unmanly vices. They are offences against God — they are dis- 
pleasing in his sight — they bring me into disrepute with men. 
May I be continually on my guard against them, and endeavor 
to shun the very first symptom of them. I feel that the grace 
of God will, if I am faithful, be my constant safeguard. 



55 

ANGER. 

I have often fallen into this sin ; and I have met somev^rhere 
with this advice. When a Christian feels this diabolical tem- 
per rising up, let him neither say or do any thing till he has 
repeated the first petition in our Lord's prayer, to wit : For- 
give us our trespasses as we for give those who trespass agaitist us ; 
for if we forgive not men their trespasses, neither will our 
Father forgive us our trespasses. 

Hymn 178. 

Whene'er the angry passions rise, 
And tempt our thoughts or tongues to strife, 

To Jesus let us lift our eyes, 
Bright Pattern of the Christian life. 

O how benevolent and kind, 

How mild, how ready to forgive ! 
Be this the temper of our mind, 

And these the rules by which we live. 

A Christian, says a pious author, should |be moderate 
in all his actions, in all his expressions. When unholy 
affections, or wicked sentiments, are exhibited or advanced 
in his presence and hearing, he must not allow himself 
to become excited or to lose that just ballast of the mind 
which is produced by Christian humility. Upon such oc- 
casions his soul is in danger, a double watch is required ; 
this is the moment for the exercise of humility, forbear- 
ance, and charity. The Divine Spirit now dictates great 
caution, lowliness of mind, meekness and gentleness, as 
the means to protect the disciple of Christ from falling into 
sin. To do any thing to add to the excitement of an angry 
man is clearly sinful — his feelings should be soothed before an 
appeal is made to his reason. If this cannot be done, it is 
better to change the subject of conversation. In the Christ- 
ian's expression of his opinion of men or measures, let him 
beware of intemperance, or excess of feeling, or of unchari- 
tableness. We should be clearly right before we unequivocally 
condemn, and then express our ideas with moderation and 

charity. 

■ 8 



56 

Sunday f June 21 y 1841. 
I am seeking for a patient, a submissive spirit. I am deter- 
mined never to cease my exertions in this respect until I pre- 
vail with God. He has promised to give whatever is asked 
in faith. I know he will vouchsafe it to me at the last. My 
disposition and habits are against me, but God is on my side. 
I will not fear the result. The springs of patience are hid in 
God. Let my moderation be known to all men. James 1 : 1- 
My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers tempta- 
tions, knowing this that the trying of your faith worketh pa- 
tience. But let patience have her handiwork, that ye may 
be perfect and entire, wanting nothing. If any of you lack 
wisdom, let him ask of God. Blessed is the man that en- 
dureth temptation, for when he is tried he shall receive the 
crown of life, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, shall give. 

August 1, 1841. 

FORTITUDE AND FIRMNESS. 

I set out this day to beseech God by prayer to give me more 
firmness of character ; more unyielding firmness ; more reli- 
gious stability. And now, O God, I look unto thee — of my 
own strength I can do nothing ; but in thee, gracious Parent, 
I can do all things. I rely upon thy grace ; I ask of thee in 
faith. I will daily and hourly persevere in this great object. 
It is to do thy will, O my God, that I ask strength of thee, 
through Jesus Christ, my Redeemer. Let me deliberate, let 
me ask wisdom of thee ; and, when I know the right, let me 
pursue it without deviation, without halting. 

In giving character, or recommendations to men, I must be 
careful. 

I have written a recommendation to a man who is an appli- 
cant for an office. I fear I have not had sufficient regard to his 
defects of character. I will hereafter, with the grace of God, 
be extremely scrupulous and careful in this particular. I pray 
God to give me firmness, and inspire me with justice, and a 
strict regard to truth. DeoembeTf 1841. 



67 

Sunday^ January 30, 1842. 

I bless God this day, that he has enabled me, during the' 
last week, to eat my meals with prudence ; that he hath also 
greatly prospered my affairs, so that my mind is free from 
worldly cares ; and 1 will endeavor this day to devote myself 
wholly to my great Benefactor. 

All is well, says a pious writer. All is well with the child of 
grace : all is ill with the unregenerated man. 

But never can we say, All is well when we have not a lively 
faith in Christ our Saviour. When faith sinks, then it is not 
well with the Christian. 

JUDGE NOTHING BEFORE THE TIME. 

"We are directly responsible to God for the improper exercise 
of our reason ; let me, therefore, be extremely careful not to 
express an opinion which is not properly supported by my best 
judgment. It is much better to express no opinion than one 
that is erroneous. Let me never be hasty, but deliberate in 
all my words and actions. 

AFFLICTION. 

Afflictions that are consequent upon vice we ought to suffer. 
There is much selfishness in our nature. Sin is often deeply 
seated, and must be sought out with great diligence and fer- 
vent prayer for divine teaching. This divine teaching is at- 
tended with so much affliction, so much pain as becomes ne- 
cessary thoroughly to probe the wound. Nothing short of af- 
fliction will often affect this great purpose of our heavenly 
Father. The righteous man considers all his afflictions in the 
hands of God ; and he is satisfied that whatever is for the 
best will be done. It is God's hand ; let him do what seemeth 
best, I am safe. All is well. He that walketh uprightly,- 
walketh securely, even in the path of disaster. 

PERFECT PEACE. 

Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed 
on thee. The man who walks closely with God realizes its 
blessings continually. He that is constant has no dark moments 



58 

— all is light with him. Sin occasions despondency. A good 
man will never be moved. He is not afraid of any evil 
tidings, and mere imaginary evils take no hold on him. His 
reliance is on the Rock of Ages. His great object is holi- 
ness of heart, and sin alone is capable of giving him trouble. 
A good man looks habitually to God as vi^ell in adversity as 
prosperity. He considers death and eternity at hand. 

Sunday t February 6, 1842, 
I complain of lukewarmness, of a want of zeal. I am half 
disposed to think of worldly matters rather than to devote my- 
self exclusively to God, which I know to be my duty during 
this day. llfeel that it is easy to relapse into sin, to savor of 
things of time and sense ; but to walk closely with God re- 
quires continual vigilance. To watch, to pray, and to strive 
are indispensable to my growth in grace. Lord God, for 
Christ's sake, warm my heart this morning ! O inspire me 
with more zeal, more earnestness in the road to heaven ! En- 
able me to devote myself exclusively to thee. I am not suf- 
ficiently alienated from the love of wealth, the love of conse- 
quence, the desire to be popular : these are my besetting sins. 
O that God would deliver me from them ! 

Sunday y Fehruary 13, 1842. 
I feel this morning that I have neglected my religious du- 
ties. I have not been sufficiently vigilant, I have omitted 
private prayer. My soul is now left to mourn over its barren 
condition. God, enable me, for Christ's sake, to improve all 
my time to thy glory, and to the benefit of my immortal soul ! 

Sunday Mornings Fehruary 27, 1842. 
I have spent this morning in devout exercise. I have heard 
a good serrnon. My faith is lively, and my heart has been 
full of gratitude to God. 

Sunday Mornings March 6, 1842. 
I have felt a proper spirit of devotion and reliance upon God. 



1 have realized that it is not a vain thing to rely with humble 
submission and meekness upon an allwise Providence. The 
following passage of Scripture occurred to me while I was 
in church, to wit ; *' Let not your heart be troubled, ye believe 
in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many 
niansions ; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to 
prepare a place for you, &c. 

The consolation of grace is unknown to sinners. 

I have heard a very good sermon from a son of the late 
Bishop Hobart. I think this young man promises to be a very 
impressive and successful minister of the Gospel. 

Sunday Morning, April 24, 1842. 

ANXIETY FOR WORLDLY APPROBATION. 

This feeling has occasionally disturbed me ; and it is alto- 
gether unworthy of a disciple of Christ. 

We ought to regard the opinions of men only so far as they 
tend to correct our faults. When we are censured for some 
alleged error, it behooves us to inquire without selfishness or 
partiality, whether the censure be just j and if it be so, we 
should not desire a different opinion j we ought forthwith to 
repent and reform, or to make amends to an injured party. 

If the censure be undeserved, we shall stand justified before 
God, and the truth will ultimately prevail to the firmer establish- 
ment of our moral and religious character. So I will bless my 
heavenly Father, for either a good or an evil report, as they 
are equally designed to improve a child of grace. Indeed 
I feel at this moment disposed to bless God for every thing ; 
my very soul weeps for joy at the reflection of the abundant 
mercy of my Redeemer. 

New- York, Tuesday, April 26, 1842. 
I feel this morning the necessity of giving up the world to 
a greater extent than heretofore, and of placing my affections 
chiefly upon eternal things. In regard to worldly losses or 
gains— to the respecter disrespect of men, they are indeed 
shadows compared with an interest in the kingdom of Heave». 



60 

O, that ray gracious parent would enable nie this morning 
to conquer these bitter enemies of my soul ! 

With God's grace, I determine now fully to accomplish this 
great object. Let the present world sink down before me, and 
that which is to come rise, and continue to rise, till I become 
an acceptable servant of the living God through Jesus Christ 
my Redeemer. 

New-York, Sunday, May 1, 1842. 

I have heard two good sermons ; one from Mr. Mines, the 
other from Mr. Higby ; and have been occupied with an im- 
portant subject to me. 

Let your conversation be in heaven. God is a spirit, and 
they that worship him, must worship him in spirit and in truth. 

The necessity of living by faith ; to have our lives hid in 
Christ with God ; to determine to know nothing but Jesutf 
Christ and him crucified, &c., &c., is obvious to the Christian ; 
he feels the constant necessity of walking closely with God ; 
his happiness, even in this life, depends upon his treasures 
being in heaven. If our affections be on temporal things, we 
shall continually savor of the world ; we shall never be satis- 
fied, something will still be wanting. The religion of the Gos- 
pel must be all in all. We are constantly reminded by sur- 
rounding objects, of our near approach to the end of this life ; 
and if our treasures are here, we must be miserable indeed. 
Our blessed Father hath so ordered it in his eternal wisdom, 
that our duty and happiness do proceed step by step. 

Great God, let me know nothing but Jesus Christ and him 
crucified. 

Sunday, May 8, 1842. 
I have had trouble for the last two days, and I have suffered 
somewhat in mind ; but I have committed an error in this 
trust — that I have not in my affliction sufficiently besought 
God for direction and deliverance. I have looked chiefly to 
men. Now, for this error, I deserve to suffer, and God, my 
heavenly father, has so ordained it for my good, to bring me to 



61 

the foot of the Cross ; to teach me that my only reliance should 
be on the living Grod, and not on the arm of flesh. 

Trials make the promise sweet, 

Trials give new life to prayer, 
Bring me to the Savior's feet, 

Lay me low and keep me there. 

June 4, 1842. 

I have observed some professed Christians to-day indulging 
in an idle curiosity in respect to the affairs of others ; they 
seemed to be busy-bodies, prying into matters in which they 
had no concern. 

Their questions were numerous, and rather annoying. I 
verily believe that a Christian should deal altogether in essen- 
tials—in things in which he has either a spiritual, or a tempo- 
ral interest ; and that, if the grace of God has done its perfect 
work in the heart, that he will cease to busy himself with the 
affairs of others, unless his purpose is clearly benevolent. 
Gracious Parent, preserve me at all times from errors of this 
description. 

July S, 1842. 
I find that the pride of personal consequence has not been 
wholly eradicated from my soul ; that I am jealous of inat- 
tention ; and that this sinful affection has occasioned to-day, 
some uneasiness in my mind. Sin always punishes itself; and 
it is indeed a blessed provision of my Heavenly Father that it 
should be so ; for it leads me to the throne of grace. O that 
God, for Christ sake, would deliver me from this unholy affec- 
tion ! I am striving to be a true servant of the living God, and 
this foolish pride is unworthy of the character I aspire to. The 
following are just deductions on this subject : If I deserved the 
attention which was withheld from me, then I was justified 
before God ; if I was unworthy of it, then, as a just man, I 
ought not to have coveted that to which I was not entitled ; in 
any event, therefore, I am not injured ; and moreover, the oc- 
currence has, I trust, been beneficial to my immortal soul ; it 
has detected this lurking, sinful affection in my breast; and it 
has led me to the foot of the Cross, where alone I can obtain 
that grace which will purify my heart. In this way I must con- 



62 

template every transaction or relation with my fellow men ; if 
I am right, I stand justified before the judge of all the earth ; if 
wrong, it is just and proper I should suffer ; and this suffering 
will, if rightfully improved, work to my advancement in the 
road to heaven. 

Sunday y July 10, 1842. 
I found on the 9th instant the remains of envy or jealousy 
in respect to the prosperity of another rising up in my breast, 
and occasioning an uneasiness of mind, which convinced me 
that I still entertained an unwarrantable love of the world. 
(Sin always begets trouble.) And now to-day I have been 
engaged in prayer to God, that he would remove this impure 
affection from my soul. And I have been led, by the grace of 
God, into a train of profitable reflection on this subject. (In 
time prepare for eternity.) It is certain that worldly treasures, 
even while possessed, are attended with evil consequences as 
Well as good ; but the very short time that I can enjoy them 
renders them of very little consequence to me. In the course 
of thirty years at the utmost, and, perhaps, before the end of 
this year, month or week, I shall be laid in the grave, and 
these arms and hands, that are now so dear and familiar to me, 
will be disposed of by the side of my body, and they, together 
with my whole frame, will rot and turn to dust. They will 
remain until the resurrection day, and possibly for thousands of 
years, without motion, in the silent grave : and where will my 
immortal soul be during this long period, and to all eternity % 
(In life prepare for death.) Now is the time to purify the 
heart. The day of grace is still given to me. This unholy 
affection, this impure state of my heart, this unwarrantable 
love of the world, is displeasing to God, my Redeemer. And 
shall I indulge it any longer % O no. Heavenly Father, 
cleanse my heart. O, for Christ's sake, purge it now, that I 
may never hereafter experience this foul affection. Even my 
happiness in this life depends on the purity of my heart. (Sin 
always occasions trouble.) There is no fear, saith the Lord 
unto the wicked. The wicked are like the troubled sea when 
it cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt. 



63 

1 Tim. 4 : 8. — For godliness is profitable unto all things, 
having the promise of the life that now is, and of that which 
is to come. 

Chap. 6 : 6. — For godliness, with contentment, is great 
gain ; for we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain 
we can carry nothing out ; and having food and raiment, let 
us be therewith content. But they that will be rich fall into 
temptation and a snare, and into many foolish hurtful lusts, 
which drown men in destruction and perdition. 

Chap. 6 : 11. — But thou, O man of God, flee these things^ 
and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, 
meekness. 

Chap. 6 : 17. — Charge them that are rich in this world, 
that they be not high-minded nor trust in uncertain riches, 
but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to 
enjoy. 

July 30, 1842. 

I have, during the past night, become fully satisfied of a de- 
fect in my Christian character, which I determine, by the as- 
sistance of divine grace, to amend and correct. I have, for 
many years past, suffered my feelings, and moreover my in- 
dignation, to be much excited and indulged on many political 
subjects, but more especially on religious topics, and against 
the doctrine of the limited atonement. I am aware that I 
have often expressed myself intemperately to professing 
Christians, who held this do6trine as against their setitiments^ 
I am now persuaded that I have been wrong in the indulgence 
of these feelings ; and that they have been unbecoming the 
character of a meek and lowly follower of Jesus Christ. 

I have often been led to consider, whether 1 had not, during 
the time of these discussions, lost sight of the character of 
Christian love and charity, and also lost, for the time being,, 
my cast as a disciple of Christ. I apprehend that this has 
been so. And I feel now (blessed be God for it) deeply im- 
pressed with this error in my Christian character ; and I de- 
termine, not in my own strength, but in a firm reliance upon 
God, my Saviour, to suppress hereafter all such feelings ; and 

9 



64 

in place thereof to exercise love and prayer for my Christian 
brethren, whom I consider to be misguided in their construc- 
tion of this doctrine of the blessed Gospel. 

And now, Holy Father, for Christ's sake, give me more of thy 
Divine Spirit of benevolence and charity ; and enable me to 
perform and keep this resolution, now here made in thy pre- 
sence. 

I am satisfied that this harsh and uncharitable spirit was one 
of Luther's besetting sins, and that his character as a disciple 
of Christ, was in this particular subject to great impeachment. 
The controversy, as conducted between him and Erasmus, was 
highly disgraceful to the cause of Christ. Melancthon was 
almost the only Reformer of that day, whose character for 
gentleness, forbearance, and Christian benevolence, was truly 
that of a Christian ; there was, in general, an acrimonious as- 
perity of character about these Reformers, which was ex- 
tremely censurable. 

Sectaria7b disputes are generally conducted with excited feel- 
ings of a character hostile to the mild spirit of Christian love 
and charity; they are never productive of good, but almost 
always of evil. That man, says the author of a work on fa- 
naticism, who continually entertains a due sense of the awful 
justice of God, as the necessary condition of that purity which 
is essential to the Divine nature, and who sees his own peril in 
the light of Divine justice, is thenceforth mainly occupied with 
those emotions of shame and fear which are proper to a cul- 
prit, and has no wish to make a vindictive application of God's 
justice upon the errors of others. I will not, hereafter, spend 
my precious time in discussions, wholly unessential to the 
salvation of my immortal soul. Great and eternal God, give 
rae strength of purpose to perform and keep this resolution. 

August 7, 1842. 
A friend, yesterday, suggested to me that he had himself ob- 
served, and he had heard it said by another, that my descrip- 
tions of men and things, and of my own affairs, had led some 
persons to overrate the objects and concerns spoken of by me ; 



65 

and that I was not sufficiently circumspect; or that I had not 
sufficiently observed the exact truth in those matters. 

I regard this communication to have been made to me in a 
most friendly spirit; and I fear it is not without foundation, 
although I stand acquitted of intentional error ; but I now here 
determine, by the grace of God, through Jesus Christ my 
Redeemer, to correct myself in these matters; and to keep 
and observe the exact truth in all my statements. Great and 
eternal God, thou seest me now ! O strengthen, and assist me ! 
and enable me to speak with more care and circumspection 
and a more strict regard to facts, than I have heretofore done. 

August 20, 1842. 

GLOOMY APPREHENSIONS. 

These, as I have heretofore observed, are amongst the evils 
to which I am subject. They in a great degree yield to the 
discipline of the mind ; if we give way to them, they increase 
upon us and render us miserable indeed, — ^^if we resist them, 
they have comparatively little effect. The natural man may, 
by the ordinary strength of his faculties, do much towards 
their conquest, but he that adds to these, christian fortitude 
and christian resolution, will accomplish much more. St. Paul 
said he could do all things, Christ strengthening him. This 
strength of Christ, or the grace of God, comes by prayer. My 
trust therefore shall be in the everlasting God. I will not fail to 
exert my natural faculties, but I will also pray for grace to 
enable me to accomplish this desirable object. I will never 
again, by the help of the Almighty, yield to those unmanly, 
unchristianlike affections. 

And now, gracious Parent, thou seest me. This resolution 
is taken in thy sight, and I rely on thee for its accomplish- 
ment. And I beseech thee, for Christ's sake, to vouchsafe to 
me, at all times hereafter, the influence of thy grace, that I 
may be enabled to perform and keep this determination now 
here made in thy presence. 

Smiday, Sept. 24, 1842. 
I want the facility of casting myself at once into a frame of 



66 

mind which shall contemplate, with holy reverence, God's at- 
tribute of infinite justice, and my extreme sinfulness and im- 
purity, so that I may entertain a proper emotion of fear and 
submission to the great Eternal, and be led with humble con- 
fidence to the foot of the Cross for pardon and reconciliation. 
In my family devotion, this morning, I was sensible of a want 
of that blessed frame of mind, and in place of it I was troubled 
with a vapid and uncollected feeling, altogether unfitted to 
profitable devotion, 

I now desire to repent before God on account of this defect 
of my christian character. Lord God, I beseech thee, for 
Christ's sake, to inspire me continually with a due sense of 
this holy attribute of thy divine nature, and of my own un- 
worthiness before thee. 

ENTHUSIASM. 

I have found myself indulging in ideas that I am satisfied 
are enthusiastic ; such, for example, as that my temporalities 
have been vouchsafed to me as a special favor from Heaven. 
God governs the world by general laws ; cause produces 
effect ; the sun rises on the evil and on the good, and the rain 
falls on the just and on the unjust. It is therefore erroneous 
to suppose that special providences attend a religious man in 
his worldly affairs, in opposition to the general laws of the 
universe. It is nevertheless true that religion tends to pro- 
mote our happiness in this life, not only by qualifying us to 
endure misfortunes, and teaching us prudence and frugality, but 
by inspiring us with a well founded hope of eternal happiness 
beyond the grave. 

The author of a treatise on enthusiasm says : " it is a per- 
verted notion of religion, that leads a man to think that he is 
such a peculiar favorite of the eternal Jehovah, as presump- 
tuously to suppose that God's providences will produce in his 
favor an irregularity in the permanent and fixed laws of the 
moral universe. This is supposing that, notwithstanding the 
great God has ordained that a certain cause shall produce a 
certain effect, yet that, in his particular instance, such a cause 
shall not produce such an effect ; or in other words, it is calling 



67 

on God to work a miracle in his particular case. I know a 
professing Christian who informed me that he expected to 
get a certain price for a house and lot of ground, and he be- 
lieved the Lord would find him a purchaser at that price. 
This man relied not upon the natural and probable operation 
of things, but upon a special interposition of Divine provi- 
dence in his favor. 

He finally sold the property in question greatly below the 
price which he flattered himself he would obtain for it. It is 
hoped that the disappointment in question may have led him 
to the detection of this undoubted error in his Christian ex- 
ercises. The necessity of distinguishing between the false light 
of the imagination and the realities of the Gospel, is abundant- 
ly obvious to the intelligent Christian. Religion, being a work 
of the heart and not of the head, resolves itself into realities, 
and mere phantoms of the brain lead to enthusiasm, and to 
errors of a dangerous character. The religionist, who relies 
for his salvation upon mere form and ceremony, or upon the 
pageantry of priestcraft, and the fatalist, who put his eternal 
interest on imaginary decrees in his favor, are equally deluded 
on the momentous concerns of eternity. Lord God, deprive 
the Christian world of every thing but Jesus Christ, and him 
crucified. 

The doctrines of the Gospel do not teach us that our 
temporal interests are to be advanced by subverting the 
general order of God's laws, or by miraculous interposi- 
tions of his providence. Cause is to follow eifect. He that 
does not seek shall not find ; he that doth not sow shall not 
reap, and to him that doth not knock, the door shall not be 
opened.' Our success, as well in temporal as spiritual things, 
is, by the wise providence of God, and through the blessed 
provisions of the atonement, made to depend on the use of 
means. By industry and frugality, we provide for this life, 
and by prayer and religious circumspection, for that which is 
to come. 

I admit, however, that there are matters not in their nature 
subject to these laws, and which God in his providence does 
constantly control ; and these relate to what is vulgarly called 



68 

chance, and to the operation of the Divine Spirit on the heart 
and affections of men. " God has promised to the subject of 
his grace, that he will work in him to will and to do of his 
own good pleasure. And the reasons of the Divine conduct 
towards those who are in training for an endless course, must 
always be at an infinite distance beyond the range of created 
vision. Who shall venture even to surmise what course of 
events may best foster the germ of an imperishable life ? 
Whether the promise that all things shall work together for 
good to those who love God, is to be accomplished by per- 
petual sunshine or by incessant storms, no one can anticipate 
in his own case." 

" Amid the perplexities which arise from the unexpected 
events of life, we are not left without sufficient guidance ; for, 
although in particular instances the most reasonable calcula- 
tions are baffled and the best plans subverted, yet there remains 
in our hands the immutable rule of moral rectitude, in an in- 
flexible adherence to which we shall avoid what is chiefly to 
be dreaded in calamity, the dismal moanings of a wounded 
conscience." 

"He that walketh uprightly walketh surely, even in the path of 
disaster ; and, while on the one hand, he steadily pursues the 
track which common prudence marks out, and on the other, 
listens with respectful attention to the dictates of honor and 
probity, he may, without danger of enthusiasm, ask and hope 
for the especial aids of divine Providence in overruling those 
events, which lie beyond the reach of human agency. Prayer 
and calculation are duties never incompatible, never to be dis- 
joined, and never to shackle one another. A strange incon- 
gruity may seem to present itself when the sons of Grod, the 
heirs of immortality, the destined princes of heaven, are seen 
implicated in sordid cares, and vexed and oppressed by the 
perplexities of a moment; but this incongruity is only per- 
ceived when the great facts of religion are viewed in the false 
light of imagination ; for the process of preparation, far from 
being incompatible with these apparent degradations, requires 
them. It is by such means of hnmiliation that the hope of 
immortality is bound down to the heart. The Christian is 



69 

looking for the second coming of Christ ; he may think that 
by possibility it will come even in his own time ; and this 
thought may animate him to fresh exertions in the road to 
heaven, without leading him to any fanatical conclusions. 
Whatever may happen to him, all is safe, all is well, and will 
be so to all eternity." 

" SON, DAUGHTER, GIVE ME THY HEART. 

" In order (says the author of a Treatise on Enthusiasm) 
that the warmth and vigor of life may be maintained in the 
heart, the common level of the natural affections is chosen as 
the scene of intercourse between heaven and earth. The 
region of abstract conceptions, of lofty reasonings, of magnifi- 
cent images, has an atmosphere too subtle to support the 
health of true^ piety. God dwells with the man who is of an 
humble and contrite spirit ; the afflictions of the righteous 
man are intended to bring his religious belief and emotions in 
close contact with the humiliations of animal life, and thus to 
beget the necessity of prayer ; the process of preparation re- 
quires affliction, and it is by it that the hope of immortality is 
bound down to the heart." The industrious disciple will find, 
after some few months have passed away, upon an examina- 
tion of his heart and affections before the GJ-reat Judge, that, by 
the assistance of Divine grace, he has made obvious improve- 
ments in his Christian character. The duty of prayer will have 
become much more lovely — he will have little or no dull time 
on his hands — he can fill it up with precious communications 
to the Throne of Divine grace — his love for all men will have 
increased. He will be enabled to contemplate his enemies 
with more charity and compassion, and to pray for them with 
more sincerity of heart. He will exercise more forbearance 
towards such as trespass against him than formerly. He will 
have more firmness, moderation and deliberation of character, 
a gentler spirit, less of selfishness, and more of openness of 
heart than formerly. He will have less pride, and more re- 
signation to the will of God. He will have ceased to speak 
against men, or to allow himself to render railing for railing on 
any occasion. 



70 

Oct 30, 1842. 

I now entertain great apprehensions as to what may be my 
spiritual condition on the 30th day of October, 1843. This is 
indeed an important inquiry to me, if God should spare my 
life till that day, how will my account then stand between the 
great Judge and my immortal soul ? Shall I then have ad- 
vanced or receded in that straight and narrow road that leads 
to life ? Great God, thou seest me ; these apprehensions and 
fears of my soul are known to thee. O, for Christ's sake, help 
my imfirmities, and strengthen me continually in the great 
work which thou has given me to do. 









^.: ,.. 



ANIMATING THOUGHTS 



CHILD OF GRACE 



Sunday, Nov. 27, 1842. 

The condition of the redeemed, in that future life, will be 
perfect happiness — a state of felicity far beyond any thing 
mortals can imagine, and this will endure to all eternity. 
Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into 
the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for 
them that love him. 

The few years that I have to remain here, will be alloyed 
with pain and sorrow, and they will be mixed with affliction. 
But they will soon end ; and perhaps before this month, or 
even week shall terminate, I may enter into that blessed con- 
dition of the saints of God, which shall last to all eternity. 
Let these thoughts now animate my soul in the work of grace. 
Possibly, I may yet live to witness the second coming of my 
Saviour Christ. 

December 3, 1842. 

My mind has been disturbed, and I have improperly enter- 
tained anxious thoughts for a few hours, that are past. Upon 
this occasion I have savored of poor human nature, and my 
imagination has even flashed at materialism. When my faith 
is inert and my energies feeble, let me consider that my great 
Benefactor has certainly implanted two things in my breast : 

1st. A conscience that reproves me of sin, and enables me 
to distinguish between good and evil ; and 

2d. An idea of an existence beyond the grave. 

Thus much nature has done, and the Holy Scriptures come 
in and do the rest. They prescribe and point out not only 
the exact rule of justice, but the road to holiness and eternal 

10 



72 

life. The great principles of justice are uniform, and prevail 
in the millions of worlds that compose the universe ; but 
man, who savors of materialism, can only reason from what 
he sees and hears in one small planet. His thoughts are not 
as Grod's thoughts, for as the heavens are higher than the 
earth, so are the thoughts of the Almighty above those of fee- 
ble man. 

With the disciple of Christ, human wisdom is unworthy of 
notice. 

The natural man, says a pious author, is, by the Divine 
economy, limited in his knowledge of the universe, and even 
of himself. Seclusion, in reference to him, is to a certain ex- 
tent the law of the Supreme Governor, and the Holy Scrip- 
tures maintain consistency with the apparent intention of the 
Creator of the material universe, by the parsimony of their 
revelation, in abstaining from the conveyance of any par- 
ticle of knowledge which is not strictly connected with the 
interest and notion of human virtue. 

Christianity is a well digested and premeditated act of the 
Divine government, and therefore maintains strictly the se- 
cresy of the awful Mistress of Creation, nor utters a syllable 
of loose or gratuitous knowledge ; the vail of the temple of 
the universal kingdom is not rent — is not raised by the com- 
ing of the Gospel. A voice from behind that vail delivers to 
men the brief sentences of the Divine will ; the messenger 
from heaven does not abide with us — does not spend his lei- 
sure moments in our company; is not to be surprised by 
questions of curiosity in moments of complacency ; he has 
imparted that which was given to him and is gone. 

Let me therefore bless and magnify my Heavenly Fa- 
ther, that I have all the light and knowledge given me which 
are necessary to the purification of my heart, and to the at- 
tainment of eternal happiness beyond the grave. 

Deceinher 7, 1842. 

PUSILLANII^OUS OR INERT FAITH, AS OPPOSED TO ACTIVE FAITH 
AND MANLY ENERGY. 

The use of means is, by the economy of the Gospel dis- 



73 

pensation, rendered necessary in every step we take. Faith 
is, to be sure, the gift of God, but it becomes pusillanimous or 
inert without the exercise of the energies of man. God gives 
the faith, and man contributes that energy which is necessary 
to its healthy action in the soul. God works in us to will and 
to do of his own good pleasure, but this operation of the Holy 
Spirit is only vouchsafed to the man who industriously cherishes 
it in his heart. Faith without works is dead ; by works here, 
we are to understand not only such relative duties as we owe 
to man, but such active exertions, in connection with the gift 
of God, as shall produce that well of living water which 
springeth up to everlasting life. The sluggish Christian is a 
miserable being ; he is neither fit to live nor to die. Heaven 
delights in the bold, the energetic disciple of the Cross. Man 
is made for this world. The Christian is not formed in the 
cloister, but in society ; and faith, which is the gift of God, is 
to be exercised in the human heart in conjunction with its 
constant passions and daily incidents. And in this manner it 
subdues, it suppresses, it modifies, it turns to heavenly ac- 
count, yea, it gleans grace and wisdom from every accident 
of life. 

Although religion is to be the chief object of our care, yet we 
are not to deprive ourselves of any of the comforts or innocent 
amusements of life. The moment we become dull and heavy, 
we make poor Christians. We are to select our pleasures, 
(being always careful to avoid sin.) 

In the due and rational operation of faith in the heart, the 
Christian has much to do. There is, says a pious author, 
something which requires to be balanced or adjusted, and 
kept in equipoise between the principle of faith and the prin- 
ciple of action. The one has a tendency to exclude the other, 
or overpower it, but Christian excellence consists in the pre- 
servation of this balance. 

Gracious Parent, enable me to preserve and keep it in such 
manner as to promote the growth of genuine piety in my 
heart. 

December 8, 1842. 

I am waiting, with some uneasiness, for a knowledge of an 



74 

event that may be pleasant or vexatious to me. An unto- 
ward decision would perhaps wound my pride of opinion, 
and in this respect be beneficial to my immortal soul. In 
what manner ought it to operate on my mind? Shall I 
entertain a feeling of dissatisfaction or uneasiness 'i or shall I 
form plans for my future triumph, or for the gratification of 
malice or indignation ? Certainly not. Shall I not then sub- 
mit to my fate with humility and Christian resignation 1 
Most undoubtedly. I must not allow it to occasion a hostile 
or even an unpleasant feeling towards any one whomsoever, 
but I must, with Christian equanimity, pursue a mild, gentle 
and heavenly course. 

December 21, 1842. 

Neither cowardice nor indolence belong to a Christian. 
He hath much less to fear, and much more to animate him 
than the careless sinner. 

With him all is well. He that walketh uprightly walketh 
surely, even in the path of disaster. He fears no evil tidings, 
for God is with him. If God be with us, who shall be against 
us. 

December 25, 1842. 

In respect to moral and religious truths, it is greatly to be 
apprehended that the world at large are fearfully deficient. 
Even those who are striving to improve their condition in this 
respect, find many impediments or temptations to interrupt 
their progress and to draw them aside from that straight and 
narrow road that leads to eternal life. These, however, are 
for the most part on subjects not immediately relative to the 
moral and religious improvement of the heart. 

The great doctrines of the revealed religion should be well 
settled in the mind of the disciple of Christ. They are as 
follows : — 

1. That there is one true and living God, the creator of all 
mankind, and that Jesus Christ is his only son. 

2. That man has been created a moral agent, responsible 



75 

for sin, and is to be punished or rewarded to all eternity, in 
the world of spirits. 

3. That having fallen from his first estate, a Saviour has 
been provided for him, who, for the purpose of making an 
atonement for our sins, came into this lower world, and took 
upon him our nature, and suffered and died on the Cross, to 
redeem from the curse of a broken law all who should come 
to God through him. 

4. That by this means (and no other,) salvation is proffered 
to every child of Adam, however poor, ignorant or degraded 
he may be; the souls of each of whom are of infinite value in 
the sight of the Eternal God, inasmuch as they must exist to 
all eternity in a state of bliss or misery beyond the grave. 

5. That man, being a member of society, has to work out 
his salvation with fear and trembling, midst all the vicissitudes 
of life ; this being the only school in which his soul can be- 
come qualified for endless bliss. 

That these important truths become sometimes obscure in 
the mind, by reason of the false light of the imagination, is 
undoubtedly true. 

Man being mortal savors of materialism, and is often 
tempted to assimilate the great concerns of the spirit to his 
mere animal nature, and thus to produce doubts and difficul- 
ties in that straight and narrow road that leads to life. 

I pray God to give me wisdom at all times hereafter, to de- 
tect this false light of the imagination, and to distinguish it 
clearly from the true light of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and 
to know — 

First, That the great and eternal Spirit is in no respect 
like sinful man. He hath no mortal body, no passions, no 
imperfections, nor habits like ours. 

We must not, therefore, allow the imagination to assimilate 
to man any thing appertaining to the everlasting God ; but 
must constantly look up to the throne of His grace, with 
fearful reverence and humble submission to His divine will ; 
and, 

Secondly, That the Holy Scriptures fully establish the fact 
that every sin we commit in thought, word or deed, (unless 



7e 

atoned for by the death of Christ,) is to be punished eternally 
in the world of spirits to which we are hastening. And we 
must not therefore permit the false light of the imagination to 
suggest the possibility of the Divine favor through any other 
medium than the atoning blood of Christ. 

And Thirdly, Perhaps there is no one subject (upon which 
the false light of the imagination, under the baneful influence 
of materialism, has done more despite to the Gospel,) than that 
of the humanity, life, suffering and death of our blessed Saviour 
upon this earth. Our corrupt nature has always tended to 
assimilate the divine person of Christ to the frail body of man. 
We do not sufficiently consider that this glorious body was 
produced by a miracle — that in its association with the spirit 
of Christ, while here, it was never polluted by sin, that it did 
not see corruption, but ascended into heaven, where it is seated 
at the right hand of God the Father. 

It cannot therefore be assimilated to the frail and imperfect 
condition of man, in any of the incidents of his nature. 

And Fourthly, We are to consider that every child of Adam, 
however poor, mean or degraded he may be, has an immortal 
soul^ which is of more value in the sight of the Eternal God, 
than all the riches of the universe j and that it is only by the 
false light of the imagination that we undervalue this germ of 
immortality. 

Gracious Parent, enable me at all times hereafter to put a 
just estimate on this immeasurable treasure. 

And Fifthly, That the soul of man is trained for a blessed 
immortality midst all the trials, passions and vicissitudes of 
life ; this being the only school in which it can become quali- 
fied for endless happiness beyond the grave. 

His exertions, therefore, in this life, to secure to himself 
and others the provisions of the Gospel, are infinitely more 
important than all the world beside. 

IMPROPER INFLUENCE OF THE IMAGINATION. 

I am satisfied that by giving way to the wild play of the 
imagination, we injure both our intellectual and moral powers ; 
and that by reading fictitious narratives we often impair that 



77 

harmony which ought to exist between the moral emotion and 
the consequent beneficial action of man. ** For," says Dr. 
Abercrombie, in his Treatise on the Intellectual Powers, ** In 
the healthy state of the moral feelings, the emotion of sym- 
pathy excited by a tale of sorrow, ought to be followed by 
some effort to relieve the distressed ; and when such emo- 
tions are excited without such effort, the emotion becomes 
weakened ; and that the imagination, to be useful, must be 
kept under the strict control of both reason and virtue ; for if 
it be allowed to wander at discretion through the scenes of 
imagined wealth, ambition, frivolity, pleasure, trouble, pain, 
distress or anguish, it tends to withdraw the mind from the 
important pursuits of life, to weaken the habit of attention, 
and to impair the judgment. And in such cases, false opi- 
nions often fasten upon the mind with as much tenacity as 
real truth. And, moreover, it is a moral duty not to suffer 
ourselves to be misguided either in respect to pleasure or 
pain, by the false light of the imagination. The disciple of 
Christ should deal in realities, and not in fanciful delusions. 
The imagination should never be uselessly employed, as upon 
subjects that can turn to no good account. And herein it 
must not be allowed to dwell on gloomy or painful subjects, 
which promise no good results. The most unreasonable em- 
ployment of the imagination is in the indulgence of a dark 
state of the mind in reference to the condition of our tempo- 
ral concerns. There is no subject on which the false light of 
the imagination does more harm than this — by such means 
the mind is often troubled and perplexed, when it should be 
exclusively engaged in the devout exercises of religion. 

" The mind must never brood over misfortunes or errors that 
are past, and that cannot be recalled or relieved by means of 
such reflections. We must repent of our sins, but not of un- 
intentional errors, nor must the mind be permitted to dwell 
on injuries that we have received from our fellow beings, or 
to indulge in malignant or hostile feelings, or in the invention 
of means of retaliation upon an enemy." 

In all these cases our Heavenly Father has given us the 
means of subduing these improper wanderings of the imagi- 



78 

nation, which is by prayer, accompanied by faith and manly 
energy. This will never fail of a blessed result ; and will 
effectually subdue, conquer and vanish these enemies of man. 

January 7, 1843. 

For a few days past a heavy defalcation has been reported 
to have taken place in a monied institution in this city, in 
which I have no interest, nor am 1 conscious of entertaining 
any other feeling than benevolence towards a single stock- 
holder in this company ; yet I am constrained to confess that I 
have heard this report not only without any feelings of regret, 
but perhaps rather with secret satisfaction. Now, I have 
been led to inquire, from what such a feeling can originate, 
and I am satisfied it is of a censurable character. It has its 
origin in a love of novelty, of excitement, or, of what is still 
worse, the remains of the foul passion of envy, which desires 
to level the opulent citizen to a condition of mediocrity. 
This shows me that ray affections are altogether too much on 
worldly goods, on worldly consequence, &c. 

The human heart is often sly, selfish, and desperately 
wicked. It is difficult, very difficult, to find out all the secret 
lurking places of sin. 

Lord God, I acknowledge this morning, before thee, the 
depravity of my heart and affections, in this newly discovered 
sin. I repent of it before thee, gracious Parent. O, for 
Christ's sake, purge my heart from this unclean affection. It 
is displeasing to thee — it ought not therefore to be continued 
for a single moment. 

January \b, 1843. 

MISIMPROVEMENT OF TIME. 

I have spent much time in unprofitable musing, in my placid 
moments. When the tide of life appeared to flow smoothly, 
I have passed many hours in the contemplation of my worldly 
prosperity, in the vain anticipation of unalloyed happiness. 
This habit I now perceive to be not only unprofitable, but sin- 
ful. My experience has taught me that trouble is the lot of 
man. " Man never u, but always to he blessed." 



79 

He that seeks happiness in any thing short of the religion 
of the Gospel, is sure to be disappointed. This sinful indul- 
gence is always followed by gloomy and desponding mo- 
ments. The false light of the imagination harrows up the 
mind with many anticipations of trouble and misfortune, till 
the utter fallacy of earthly pleasures becomes abundantly ob- 
vious. 

I now determine, by the assistance of Divine grace, never 
thus sinfully to spend ray precious time. 

Great and eternal God, for Christ's sake, enable me here- 
after instantly to check all indulgences of this character, and 
in place thereof enable me to entertain heavenly meditations. 
These reward, animate and strengthen the follower of the 
Lamb, in the straight and narrow road that leads to life. 

January 28, 1843. 

IMPATIENCE, TOO MUCH EXCITABILITY. 

These are defects in my character, with which I have la- 
bored all my life. A day scarcely passes over my head with- 
out something to regret in this respect. They occur more 
frequently in the trial of causes, and also in respect to matters 
in which I have a personal interest. And although I have 
frequently regretted their recurrence, yet I have never in good 
earnest set about reforming my life and conduct in these par- 
ticulars. 

I now determine, by the assistance of Divine grace, to be 
particularly watchful and circumspect in these matters, and 
to pray for the spirit of forbearance, patience and brotherly 
kindness, in place of these hasty and sinful emotions which 
are always improperly indulged. 

Gracious Parent, deliver me from this evil. O, for Christ's 
sake, give me at all times, and under all circumstances here- 
after, that Christian fortitude, meekness and gentleness, which 
belongs to a true disciple of the Cross. 

UNIVERSAL BENEVOLENCE TO MEN. 

The Christian religion inspires this feeling ; and its divine 
influence upon the heart and affections is of so heavenly a 

11 



80 

character, that it affords of itself strong proof of the truth of 
the Gospel. It should always be present, and always opera- 
tive upon the human mind. Doctor Abercrombie, in his 
Treatise on Moral Philosophy, has the following comment : — 

" Benevolence," says he, " is to be exercised towards the 
feelings of others ; and this applies to many situations in which 
neither their interest nor their character is concerned. It in- 
cludes those exercises of the kindly affections which produce 
so powerful an influence in all the relations of life, but which 
it is impossible for any description to delineate. It compre- 
hends all our social and civil connections, but seems pecu- 
liarly to belong to our intercourse with inferiors and depend- 
ents. Its most anxious exercise may often relate merely to 
trifles, but it extends to innumerable circumstances in which 
we may surrender our own feelings to those of others, and 
our own convenience or gratification to theirs. It implies 
solicitude to avoid wounding the feelings by pride, selfish- 
ness, or fretfulness, by suspicions, imputations and jealousies, 
or by allowing insignificant things to ruffle the temper and 
derange the social comfort. Many, who are not deficient in 
what we usually call deeds of benevolence, are too apt to for- 
get, that a most important exercise of true benevolence con- 
sists in the habitual cultivation of courtesy, gentleness and 
kindness ; and that on these dispositions often depends our 
influence upon the comfort and happiness of others, in a 
greater degree than on any deeds of actual beneficence. To 
this department, also, we may refer the high character of the 
peace-maker, whose delight it is to allay angry feelings, even 
when he is in no degree personally interested, and to bring 
together as friends and brethren those who have assumed the 
attitude of hatred and revenge. 

" Benevolence is to be exercised in regard to the moral 
degradation of others, including their Ignorance and vice. 
This prevents us from deriving satisfaction from moral evil, 
even though it should contribute to our advantage, as might 
often happen from the misconduct of rivals or enemies. It 
implies also that highest species of usefulness which aims at 
raising the moral condition of man, by instructing the ignorant, 



81 

rescuing the unwary, and reclaiming the vicious. This ex- 
alted benevolence will therefore also seek to extend the light 
of divine truth to nations that sit in moral darkness ; and 
looks anxiously for the period when the knowledge of Christ- 
ianity shall dispel every false faith, and put an end to the hor- 
rors of superstition. 



S3 

1. In accordance with the preceding article, I must exercise 
kindly affections in all my social and civil connections, and 
especially towards inferiors and dependants. 

2. I must surrender my own feelings (even in trifles) to 
those of others. 

3. I must surrender my own convenience and gratification 
to those of others. 

4. I must he solicitous and gttarcled not to wound the feel- 
ings of others ; t7iis may be done by 

Pride, 

Selfishness or 

Fretfulness, or by 

Suspicious Imputations or 

Jealousies. 
Or by allowing insignificant things to ruffle the temper and 
derange the comfort of others. 
I must habitually cultivate 

Courtesy, 

Gentleness, 

Kindness. 

1. I must exercise benevolence in regard to the moral de- 
gradation of others, including their Ignorance and Vice; thi^ 
will prevent me from deriving satisfaction from moral evil, 
even though it should contribute to my own advantage. 

2. I must aim to raise the moral condition of others — 
By instructing the ignorant. 

By rescuing the unwary, 

By reclaiming the vicious. I must also labor to extend 
the light of Divine Truth. 

Feh. 20, 1843. 
The contemplation of every natural truth gives rise to an 
emotion in the human mind which ought to lead to an act of 
duty towards the great Governor of the Universe, for example, 

1. We contemplate God as infinitely Great, Wise and Power- 
ful. This ought to produce a proper sense of veneration to- 
wards our great Creator, and lead us to pray in a right spirit. 

2. We contemplate God as infinitely good ; and this shoMlJ 

12 



84 

inspire love and thankfulness, and produce benevolence to 
men, 

3. We contemplate God as a moral governor of purity and 
justice ; and this should produce an habitual regard to his 
authority, and will (as such governor of purity and justice,) 
require a corresponding character in all his creatures. 

The mind should therefore, by the faculty of attention, be 
carefully directed to all such truths as produce moral emo- 
tions tending to the growth of practical piety. 

In like manner every constituent of our nature, and all our 
passions and affections, are to be turned to good account. 

Anger, when properly restrained, produces such energetic 
means as tend to counteract the evil which occasioned it ; but 
it must always be tempered by christian moderation and chris- 
tian benevolence. 

Pride when confined to its legitimate end, leads to propriety 
of conduct, and generally to the correction of abuses in our- 
selves ; but it must always be modified by charity and chris- 
tian benevolence. 

Pity excited by proper objects, leads to the giving of such 
relief as is in our power, but it must always be regulated by 
christian prudence. 

The passion of Fear leads to caution, and to protection 
against the day of trial. 

In this manner the perfect economy of our Heavenly Fa- 
ther appears in all his works. 

March 2, 1843. 
Let me contemplate God as 
Infinite in Power, 
Wisdom, 
Purity, 
Justice, and 
Love, 
and as requiring man, as far as practicable, to conform him- 
self to his attributes. 

'' That man," says a pious author, " who continually enter- 
tains a due sense of the awful justice of God as the necessary 
condition of that purity which is essential to the divine na- 



85 

ture, and who sees his own peril in the light of divine justice, 
is thenceforth mainly occupied with those emotions of shame 
and fear which are proper to a culprit." 

March 9, 1843. 

I find that when I am in trouble, when I am under excite- 
ment, I cannot (or rather I do not) restrain myself within the 
bounds of strict propriety — that I do not confine myself to the 
exact truth — that I speak and act in haste — that 1 am not upon 
those occasions a just, wise and benevolent christian. Tliis 
is a defect in my character of a most alarming nature. I have 
heretofore strove to correct and conquer it. My prayer to 
God has been for greater watchfulness, for more firmness 
whereby to withstand the temptations to which I am exposed 
on these occasions, but I have not been successful thus far. 
1 impute my failure to my own fault, to a want of faith, and of 
implicit reliance on God, my Maker and Benefactor. I cer- 
tainly desire to live without the commission of sin, but my 
corrupt nature has not been sufiiciently subdued. 

When my interest or my passions predominate, I have not 
enough of the fear of God before my eyes to awe me into sub- 
mission to the divine will. 

I desire to mourn before God this night, over this alarming 
defect of my character. I feel almost discouraged lest I 
should never be able to bring thoroughly into subjection to 
the divine will this unholy, unsanctified condition of my na- 
ture. It seems to me as if my supposed change of heart had 
not produced that uniform state of religious discipline which 
ought to characterize the life and conduct of a christian. 

I will strive hereafter to lay low at the feet of my Saviour, 
and to beseech my Heavenly Father to give me to see the 
awful consequences of disregarding the admonitions of the 
Holy Spirit, and that there is nothing so much to be dreaded 
as sin against the Eternal Majesty of Heaven — that my happi- 
ness both here and hereafter will be in every respect pro- 
moted by a holy, righteous and godly life. 

Sunday, March 19, 1843. 
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. There 



66 

can be no doubt of the soundness of this maxim, even in a 
worldly point of view. What is just and pure is also politic; 
to do evil for the sake of worldly advantage or profit is im- 
politic. He that commits sin swallows 'poison, loliich from that 
moment begins to operate. 

The consequences of sin, even in this world, are more to be 
dreaded than every thing else. The upright man is not afraid 
of evil tidings, for the Lord is with him, and who shall be 
against him. He that feareth the Lord trusteth in his provi- 
dence : the Lord will be his help and his shield. 

What shall I render unto the Lord for all his benefits 
towards me % I will take the cup of salvation and call upon 
the name of the Lord. 

Friday, May 5, 1843. 

When trouble overtakes me I am too apt to flee to the 
world for relief, in place of looking up to the throne of the 
Eternal Jehovah. This has been the case with me for several 
days together, and G-od has consequently left me to suffer for 
this false trust without the consolation of the gospel of peace. 

Shall I not now consider that in my Father's house there is 
bread enough and to spare ? And why should I perish with 
hunger ? 

O Eternal Father ! help me this morning to look unto thee 
aright. Lord God, for Christ's sake, help me ! O touch my 
heart as with a living coal of fire from thine altar, that I may 
feel thy divine influence, and learn hereafter to look unto 
thee, and not to the world, for consolation and support. 

Lindley Murray was much afflicted, and he says, in one of 
his letters, page S8 of his life, " I was often desirous, that if 
it were the will of Divine Providence, I might be removed 
from this state of trouble, and landed safely, as I hoped through 
infinite mercy I should be, on those happy shores where there 
is neither sickness nor sorrow. But I must acknowledge that 
this desire of being released from life and its attendant trials, 
was not consistent with that reverence and resignation to the 
will of God which are due to him from all his rational crea- 
tures. He who notices the fall of every sparrow, sees us in 
all our afflictions, and knows how to support us under them, 



S7 

and the proper time to deliver us from their pressure ; and he 
will assuredly do what he knows to be best for us. From the 
greatest distresses good may proceed ; our spirits may receive 
additional refinements, and our example of pious, humble sub- 
mission, may be edifying and consoling to our friends and 
others. 1 have in the course of forty years been visited with 
many illnesses, some of which have been very painful, and 
brought me near the gates of death, but I have always had the 
happiness to perceive that they were a necessary and salutary 
discipline, replete with instruction of the most important na- 
ture, and better for me than if I had enjoyed a uniform tenor 
of health and strength. In reflecting upon them, I have been 
so fully convinced of their utility, that I view them as concealed 
blessings, and have reason to be very grateful to Divine Provi- 
dence for the mixture of bitters with the sweets of life. 

" There are many powerful reasons for our bearing with 
patience, resignation, and even with cheerfulness, the bodily 
afflictions with which we are visited. It is the will of God 
that we should be subject to them. Pain and death are the 
appointment of Divine Providence as the lot of man, and 
therefore to endure them with composure and reverence is our 
duty ; they are designed to let us see our weakness, the in- 
sufficiency of the things of time to make us happy, and the 
necessity of providing for a better state. They tend to refine 
our minds, to exalt our views, and prepare us for future happi- 
ness. These light afflictions which are but for a moment, work 
for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory. 
They form a part of the punishment of sin in general, and 
often for particular sins. Why doth a living man complain, 
a man for the punishment of his sins. How light is this con- 
viction when it is compared with what we deserve — if this joined 
to the other sorrows of life be all the chastisement we are to 
receive for our ingratitude and numerous offences, how cheer- 
fully should it be endured, especially when the great recom- 
pense at last is contemplated 1 Our afflictions or our works, 
how grievous or how great soever they may be, cannot indeed 
be a satisfaction for sin, and the ground of our acceptance by 
Heaven. These transcendent blessings are derived to us from 



8S 

an infinitely higher source — the sacrifice and merits of the 
Redeemer of the world through the medium of our faith. 

" These views of Divine Providence and Grace, if they are 
thoroughly impressed on our minds, would leave a strong ten- 
dency to reconcile us not only to our bodily afflictions, but to 
all the distresses and trials which the wisdom and goodness 
of our Heavenly Father may be pleased to appoint to us. 

" Who shall venture even to surmise what course of events 
may best foster the germ of an impeTishable life ? whether 
the promise that ali-things shall work together for good to those 
who love Grod, is to be accomplished by perpetual sunshine 
or by incessant storms, no one can anticipate in his own case." 

June 27, 1843. 

Let me learn to set loose to the world, and to withdraw my 
affections from its unstable and fluctuating interests. 

Let me ascertain what the undue worldly attachments are 
which embarrass me, and alienate them from my heart with 
all possible diligence. 

Saturday^ August 26, 1843. 

The providences of God are founded in wisdom; the course 
of nature is politic and just. In the decline of life, for ex- 
ample, when man feels that he is approaching the tomb, and 
ceases to find support and consolation in the objects connected 
with this life, he is led to the necessity of relying on God, on 
the religion of the Gospel, for comfort and support j this ad- 
ministers to his wants most abundantly. It not only satisfies, 
but in the figurative language of the Scriptures, it pours oil 
and wine into his soul ; it blesses his declining years (not with 
the empty phantoms of the imagination,) but with the imper- 
ishable riches of the bread of life. Great and eternal God, for 
Christ's sake, supply me continually with this heavenly manna! 

August 29, 1843. 
"When restlessness comes over me, let me begin to pray ; 
this is the appropriate remedy. To approach the throne of 
the Eternal in a right spirit is altogether engrossing — it is a 
fearful thing to hold converse with the living God, 



89 

Oh Grod ! let me now be awed into entire submission to the 
divine will. 

Give me the riches of thy grace more abundantly. 

Oh give me the water of life that 1 may never thirst again. 

Sept. 23, 1843. 
May I always remember that the least deviation from truth, 
or any undue coloring of facts or circumstances, is not only a 
great sin against the eternal God, but a decided injury to the 
purity of my character and to my standing in the community 
in which I live. 

Sing- Sing, Sept. 24, 1843. 
I have received this morning a useful admonition, whereby 
1 am instructed to watch and pray lest I enter into temptation. 
Prior to our family service I engaged in private devotion and 
an examination of my heart and life ; and inasmuch as my 
temporal affairs had during the previous week been prosper- 
ous, I felt remarkably mild, placid, and resigned to the will of 
heaven. I imagined myself freer from worldly attachments 
than usual — while in this apparently pious frame of mind, my 
attention was suddenly arrested by a trespass on my grounds, 
which immediately excited my angry feelings to an extent 
that I knew to be sinful, I therefore attempted by prayer to 
control and subdue these unhallowed feelings, but I found my 
efforts quite unavailing, until I discovered that the trespass in 
question had not been intentional, and that the injury done 
me was not so great as I had imagined. These facts, therefore, 
(and not my prayers) calmed my angry passions ; but I was 
immediately led into a most humiliating train of reflections on 
my extreme weakness and utter inability to resist or subdue 
this sinful emotion. But a few minutes before its occurrence 
my frame of mind was unusually pious and devout, and almost 
immediately thereafter 1 was brought under the complete do- 
minion of sin ; and remained for several moments in this per- 
turbed condition, without the ability to exercise any controlling 
power ; I am indeed a poor, imperfect, sinful being, possessing 
no strength of purpose, no stability of character, no power of 



90 

my own to resist temptation. My salvation must depelid Upon 
the merits of my blessed Saviour, who has taught us to pray 
that we may not be led into temptation, but delivered from 
evil. We are hereby admonished of the danger of temptation, 
for after temptation comes, the danger of falling into sin is 
fearfully augmented. 

Lord Grod lead me not into temptation, but deliver me from 
evil. 

Oct. 30, 1843. 

My Heavenly Father has spared my life to see this day; 
and I bless his holy name that during the last twelve months 
I have advanced in the straight and narrow road that leads to 
life. I feel the spirit of benevolence in a more impressive 
manner than formerly ; it appears to me that the peculiar effi- 
cacy of this spirit, affords of itself strong evidence of its divine 
origin, and of the truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ our 
Saviour. 

I pray God to preserve and keep me in the spirit of his 
grace, that I may continually advance in the great work of re- 
novation committed to my charge. 

Nov. 1, 1843. 

Justification comes by prayer which is the act of the crea- 
ture, it is in fact the creation of the creature ; it is the means 
provided for us by the God we love to bring us home to him- 
self; it enables us to exercise that faith which produces justi- 
fying grace. 

" The justified sinner is," says Bishop Mcllvaine, (page 149 
of his Appendix to his Charge on Justification by Faith,) " pro- 
perly compared to a shipwrecked mariner, escaped to a rock^ 
over which the surges of the tempest continually beat, though 
he do not once lose hold upon the refuge, will be continually 
renewing and fastening again his grasp, as each new billow 
swells and menaces his ruin ; so it is with the Christian, he 
abides in Christ not without the use of efforts of faith and 
means of grace, any more than he first came to Christ without 
them. His first coming and entering into living union with 
him, by an effort of faith rising in and working by prayer 



91 

'uttered or unexpressed,' he maintains that sanje union by the 
daily continuance of that same act of faith working by the 
same spirit of prayer ; he not only maintains the union, but 
he preserves his sense of its reality by the same means. Let 
him restrain prayer for a time, and though he should not cease 
to be in heart a christian, but only to be a faithful christian, 
he ceases to possess the comforting evidence that he is in 
Christ, he will not feel his hold upon the rock ; his confidence 
is gone, he knows not what billow may drown him. For his 
consolation then, for all that is precious in the witness of the 
Spirit, that he is * in Christ Jesus,' for the preservation of his 
union to Christ (though not for any new justification as if the 
former were lost) must the christian maintain a constant re- 
newal of his confession of daily sin, and his pleadings of the 
daily and perpetual intercession of the righteousness of 
Christ. As we have received Christ, so we are directed to 
walk in him." 

Nov. 2, 1843. 
Evil thoughts if not indulged are not sinful, ** they come' 
and go*, and leave no stain behind." 



IS" 



93 

New- York, Nov. 14, 184S. 

EATING INDISCREETLY. 

Notwithstanding my former experience and resolutions on 
this subject, I have not at all times resisted temptation : I have 
upon some occasions ate too m uch, and upon others I have taken 
things which have disagreed with me ; the consequence, in both 
cases, has been thatmy system has been disordered, and my mind 
rendered inactive and unfit either for business or devotion — 
for these sins I have suffered, I have deserved to suffer; I feel 
now the kind discipline of my Heavenly Father in regard to 
this defect in my religious character. 

I determine, therefore, at all times hereafter to forego the 
pleasure of eating either more food than is necessary for my 
sustenance, or such articles as may by possibility prove indi- 
gestible—the safe rule is this, to wit : if it be doubtful whether 
the article will or will not disagree with me, always to reject 
it ; and so if it involve a doubt whether I may or may not with 
impunity take more food, always to abstain from it — it is also 
necessary to eat slowly or with moderation ; and as I have al- 
ready observed to eat every meal in the fear of God. 

The Christian may improve his religious character in eating, 
as well as in other acts of nature ; there certainly is a just way 
of doing every thing. Gracious Parent, for Jesus Christ's 
sake, enable me to perform and keep these resolutions. 

New- York, Nov. 15, 1843. 

MATERIALISM. 

I have visited this morning the shop of a phrenologist, 
where I have seen the scull bones of many human beings — 
these occasioned for a time a sensation bordering on Material- 
ism ; the idea that they had once been animated by human 
beings, who had laughed as merrily and perhaps prayed as sin- 
cerely as myself, produced a sympathetic emotion of an un- 
pleasant character. What is man, said J, that thou art mind- 

14 



94 

ful of him, or the son of man that thou visiteth him 1 It is not, 
indeed, the human body but the immortal spirit that thou re- 
gardest : the souls of each and every of these individuals are 
now existing in eternity. It was in the power of the Almighty 
to ordain the existence of an immortal soul, and that it should, 
inhabit a mortal body. And this he did, and for this I bless 
and magnify his holy name ; he has also ordained that supreme 
love to God and universal benevolence to man, should consti- 
tute our whole duty, and for this I also bless and magnify his 
holy name. 

These scull bones, then, had nothing to do with the invalua- 
ble portions of the men to whom they appertained ; they had 
no moral, no religious duties to perform ; they committed no 
sins ; they neither loved nor hated God or man. The dwell- 
ing-house in which Jeremy Taylor lived upon the earth, had 
as much to do with the responsibility of his immortal spirit, as 
the tenement of clay which that spirit inhabited. My immor- 
tal spirit now resides in this mortal body ; a scull bone consti- 
tutes a portion thereof; but it possesses no consciousness — it 
is not this scull bone that now reasons of righteousness, tem- 
perance, and of a judgment to come : no, it is the immortal 
soul which is united with my body. I am indeed fearfully and 
wonderfully made ; but it is enough for me, that I have been 
deemed sufficiently important to attract the notice of my Hea- 
venly Father, that my Saviour Christ hath died for me, and 
that I am a probationer upon the earth, with an immortal soul 
which is to exist to all eternity. 

Lord God, enable me by thy grace, to perform and keep thy 
divine will for ever and ever, amen. 

Sunday, Nov. 19, 1843. 

TEDIOUSNESS. 

I formerly found religious services irksome. I complained 
of long prayers, long sermons, &c., &c., but I bless God that 
to a great extent it is otherwise with me now. I find in gene- 



95 

ral that a service is long or short in proportion as I am devout 
or negligent ; the truly pious man who continually breathes 
the spirit of the gospel, and who is intent upon the acquisition 
of more grace, wants every moment of his time during a reli- 
gious service ; with him every devout prayer and every faith- 
ful sermon, contains matter in which his immortal soul has a 
deep concern ; his interest, therefore, in those exercises, is 
constantly sustained. 

I find it particularly useful for me to look over every prayer, 
and to unite fully and sincerely with the clergyman in each 
and every petition which those prayers contain. This appears 
to me, to be one amongst others of the advantages of printed 
forms ; by reading the form, the mind takes a fuller impression 
of the sense of the petition, and by deliberately uniting the 
understanding with the heart, the prayer becomes more effica- 
cious. The printed forms contained in our liturgy never wear 
out with the evangelical Christian ; with him their novelty 
consists in the daily increase of their efficacy upon the heart ; 
with the mere nominal Christian this is otherwise. He attends 
church and reads prayers, pursuant to a stated custom ; and 
to him the words " Dearly beloved brethren," with the admoni- 
tion that follows, is an old story — it goes into one ear, and out 
at the other, but produces no effect upon the heart — to him 
stated prayers, must often be long and tedious, and if he blesses 
God for any thing, it is that the service is ended. How little, 
indeed, does such a Christian know of the religion of the 
blessed Gospel. While, however, (as an Episcopalian,) I ex- 
press these views in respect to printed prayers, I do not under- 
take to condemn my christian brethren of any other denomi- 
nation. I admit that the prayer of the heart is all that is re- 
quired by our Heavenly Father, but in regard to myself I find 
that I can better accomplish this object by using the printed 
forms contained in ourliturgy. 

Gracious Parent, make me alive to every thing which apper- 
tains to the welfare of my immortal spirit. 



96 

Sunday, Nov. 26, 1834. 

LIKINGS AND DISLIKINGS. 

The extent to which these are indulged is often annoying to 
an industrious Christian. One dislikes the Rev. Mr. A., another 
likes the Rev. Mr. B., and a third cannot endure Doctor C. 
One half of the conversation v^hich occurs after a relio-ious 
service is in respect to these likings and dislikings, while the 
subject of vital piety, or of the religion of the heart is not 
even thought of; indeed to introduce such a subject would 
savor of a fanaticism much more offensive than either of these 
objects of criticism. 

I know many persons who are exceedingly zealous on the 
subject of high and low church principles, who have no relish 
whatever for practical piety ; they spend much time and dis- 
play much zeal, in these matters, while they neglect altogether 
the religion of the heart. When these subjects are introduced 
to me by persons of this character, I endeavor to persuade 
the disputants of the paramount importance of vital piety, 
but I find that by giving this turn to conversation I greatly di- 
minish the interest which my friends take in religious matters. 
It is to be feared that very many persons mistake this disposi- 
tion to criticize upon men and measures, and upon doctrinal 
points for an evidence of zeal in the cause of religion. And 
although I do not consider these questions immaterial or un- 
important, yet to a sinner who is in the gall of bitterness, and 
in the bonds of iniquity, they are comparatively of little con- 
sequence. 

I know of a truth that it is necessary for me to love right- 
eousness, and to hate iniquity, and I pray God that I may not 
be permitted to spend my precious time in the indulgence of 
mere likings and dislikings, while I need what is infinitely 
more important, a deeper renovation of the heart. 

December 2, 1843. 

TRUTH. 

According to Doctor Dick's definition, (see page 23 of this 



97 

book,) the greatest defect in my christian character is the want 
of strict truth in conversation, my descriptions of men and 
things are not always accurate. Reformation in this respect 
shall now be the great object of my vigilance and prayer. I 
feel this morning in haste for a pure heart. I pray the eternal 
God, for Christ's sake, to help me to accomplish this blessed 
work. Heavenly Father, I know thou seest me, thou knoweth 
that I desire sincerity of heart and conversation. My 
blessed Saviour hath said, *' Ask and ye shall receive" — 1 have 
asked. I have (as I verily believe) asked aright; and I cer- 
tainly shall receive the blessing I desire from the hands of the 
eternal God. 

PERFECT RELIANCE ON GOD. 

In every situation and under all circumstances, I must re- 
main unmoved — I must be satisfied with my lot. In order to 
this blessed condition ray conscience must be void of offence 
towards God and man ; the impure man cannot with confidence 
cast himself upon the Almighty and rest under the shadow of 
his wing ; he is afraid of evil tidings, for the Lord is not with 
him. He that feareth the Lord trusteth in his providence ; the 
Lord is his help and his shield — he can say with David, the 
Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer. My 
God, my strength, in whom I will trust, my buckler and the 
horn of my salvation, and my high tower. Now I certainly do 
fear the Lord, and I have a right to trust in his providence. 
He is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer. Why may 
I not trust in thee, gracious Parent? Why should I fear what 
man can do unto me ? I am but an unworthy servant, but I 
have been accepted through the merits of my blessed Saviour. 
I greatly desire a pure heart. 

Gracious Father, vouchsafe to me now this blessed condition, 
this permanent Heavenly resignation to thy divine will and to 
all the events of thy providence. With the blessing of Divine 
Providence, this shall hereafter be the great object of my life. 



98 

Decemher 8, 1843. 

CHRISTIAN DEPORTMENT. 

It is necessary for me to acquire a cheerful, mild, and gentle 
deportment. It is thought by some that a gloomy countenance 
is the evidence of a pure heart, but I am of an opposite opi- 
nion. I think such an appearance is an indication of some de- 
fect, either of constitution or of religious character — it may be 
the result of fanaticism, and it is believed to be the direct ten- 
dency of the doctrine of fatalism or of imaginary decrees, 
whereby the destinies of man are supposed to be fixed irre- 
spective of his own exertions. As the passion of anger is use- 
ful when properly directed and governed, so the natural dis- 
position to laugh and be merry is equally important, but it 
must be confined to objects that are harmless. The subject 
requires christian education and government. 

It is said of our Saviour, that he was never known even to 
smile. 

This is an additional evidence that he was a heavenly and 
not an earthly being. An earthly being acquires a heavenly 
mind, not by a total suppression of the gifts of Providence, 
but by a right use of every natural faculty. Every thing be- 
longing to man requires religious education and discipline. 

It is a useful test for me, in order to ascertain whether my 
frame of mind is what it should be, to try the state of my af- 
fections towards men. If I find that I have no enmity, no 
prejudices, no fanciful likings or disUkings, towards my fellow 
beings, but that I breathe toward them a spirit of love, gen- 
tleness and forbearance, I am sure I am right. And while my 
deportment is modified and formed by such feelings, I have 
nothing to fear. 

Gracious Father, enable me to form myself in strict accord- 
ance with the precepts of thy gospel. 

December 9, 1843. 

DISAPPOINTMENT. 

When disappointment comes, I find it necessary to apply 



99 

forthwith to the throne of grace for resignation. And here I 
find relief Nothing contributes so much to the efficacy of my 
prayers in this respect as a pure heart, a conscience void of 
offence towards God and man. 

The consideration that every thing works together for good 
to those who love God, is precious to my soul this morning. 

December 11, 1843. 

SUBMISSION TO THE EVENTS OF PROVIDENCE. A PRAYER 
SUITED TO MY PRESENT NECESSITIES. 

Heavenly Father, thou knowest my necessities, thou know- 
est the desire of my heart. I therefore approach thy throne 
with confidence. 

I thirst not for wealth, nor for a long life ; but for a pure 
heart, for a permanent spirit of submission and resignation to 
all the events of thy Providence. If there be any wicked 
thing, if any secret sin lurks within me, whereby the desire 
of my heart cannot be accomplished, O enlighten and instruct 
my conscience, and remove far from me every hindrance, every 
obstacle, that keeps me from an entire submission to thy gra- 
cious will ! 

Great God, for Christ's sake, vouchsafe to me now such a 
measure of thy grace, as may abundantly fortify and strengthen 
me against the manifold trials and vicissitudes of this life. 

December 11, 1843, at Evening. 

A PRAYER FOR CHRISTIAN DEPORTMENT. 

O blessed Father, imbue my soul deeply with the divine 
spirit of humility and benevolence, and vouchsafe to me 
moderation in all my actions, in all ray expressions. May I 
never allow myself to be so much excited as to lose the spirit 
of forbearance and charity. Endow me at all times hereafter 
with meekness and gentleness of character and deportment. 
And grant, O Heavenly Father, that in the expression of my 
opinions of men or measures, I may beware of intemperance 



100 

or excess of feeling, so that I may in all things proclaim that I 
have been with Jesus Christ, my Saviour and Redeemer. 

Sunday, Dec. 24, 1843. 

I have been sick for the last ten days; during which time 
I fear I have made very little progress in the divine life. I 
trust, however, in the mercy of God, that I have not receded 
therein. My prayers have been irregular and feeble ; and my 
mind has been occupied not only with my temporal affairs, but 
with the infirmity of my body. Health and good spirits are 
best adapted to spiritual prayer ; while both sickness and des- 
pondency are unfavorable thereto. 

While we are in health it is the best time to press forward 
to the mark of the high calling, &c., for when sickness comes 
(although our hope may be firm,) yet our religious energies 
are much debilitated. 

Sunday, Dec. 31, 1843. 

My intellectual faculties seem to require almost continual 
action ; when they are unemployed I am restless and uneasy. 
I am apprehensive that there is no safety in idleness, and con- 
sequently my peace of mind depends upon the employment 
of my understanding. I have proved, also, the truth of an 
aphorism contained in a work entitled ** Aids to Reflection 
to Wit," that the affections can never be kept constant to an 
object that gives no employment to the understanding. And 
hence I have always found that my moral and religious im- 
provement required the exercise of the reasoning faculties in 
conjunction with the prayer of the heart. By such means I 
have often secured constancy to the object of my solicitude. 

I bless God that I can at all times, and especially when 
nothing else engages my attention, hold communion with the 
throne of grace, and thus profitably employ every moment of 
my life in the furtherance of my eternal interest. 



INDEX. 










Page. 


Accounts, loose keeping of, 




- 


86 


Actions, hasty, 


- 


- 


34 


Affections, 




• 


40, 41, 60 


Affliction, - - - 


* 


• 


57 


Angry passions, 




- 


- 18, 55 


Anticipations unprofitable, 




- 


48 


Anxiety for worldly matters. 




. - 


50, 59, 71 


Ashamed of Christ, > 




. 


20, 21, 22 


Benevolence, 




79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84 


Candor before God, 




- 


45,51 


Capricious humors. 




- 


33 


Character, giving certificates of. 




- 


56 


Chastity, - - - 




. 


31 


Clean heart, - - ^ 




- 


53,64 


Coldness, lukewarraness, - 




. 


30 


Cowardice, - - , 




. 


^4 


Contemplation of God's attributes, 


» 


- 


84 


Continuing an evil affection, - 




- 


^ 


Consoling thoughts. 




- 


- 71,72 


Despondency, 




- 


31 


Discontentedness, 




- 


83 


Eating to excess. 




- 


35,57 


Envy, 




12,13,14,15,62,78 


Excitability, feeling, &c.. 




- 


63,79 


Enthusiasm, false views, dtc, 




- 


66, 67, 68 


Faith, lively, - - , 




58,59,60,72,78 


Fortitude, 




- 


19,20,66 


False trusts in trouble. 




- 


60,86,87 


Frame of mind for prayer. 




- 


- 65, 66 


Fretfulness, 




- 


64, 88 


Fear of the Lord, 




- 


85,86 


Gloomy moments, - 


. 


- 51 


, 52, 53, 65 


Happiness, 




- 42, 43, 44, 45, 71 



94 



INDEX. 



Heart, afiections of, ■ ■ 

Hasty actions, 

Irapatience, 

Imagination, improper influence of, 

Justification, 

Lukewarmness, 

Moderation, 

Neglect of prayer. 

Peace maker. 

Peace, perfect, &c.. 

Patient, submissive spirit. 

Peevishness, - - - 

Performance of engagements, 

Perturbed state of mind. 

Perfect surrender to God, 

Prayer, - - - 

Pride, . * - 

Prodigality of expenditures. 

Providence, ways of, just, &c.. 

Resignation, blessings attending, 

Reliance on God, evil tidings, &c.. 

Restlessness, 

Sectarian disputes, 

Selfishness, 

Self-sufiiciency, 

Slander, - - - 

Stability in faith, - 

Sunday, . - - 

Talking too much. 

Time, mismanagement of, 

Temptation, deliver from, - 

Truth, 

Thoughts, evil. 

Wandering thoughts, 

Wealth, honor, fashion. 

Walking uprightly. 

Work while the day lasts. 

Worldly approbation. 

World set loose, 



7,. 8, 9, 



Page. 


69 


34 


- 54,79 


76,77 


90 


58 


33 


58 


36 


57 


56 


54 


35 


34 


- 47, 48 


38,39,40 


,10,11,61 


35 


88 


- 49, 53 


73, 74 


63,64 


- 26,27 


89 


15, 16, 17 


- 49, 53 


37 


32 


28,78 



22, 23, 51, 64, 65, 74, 75, 76, 89 

29 

- 24,25 

68 

43,44,45 

59 



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